Best Chef Knives — Six Recommendations

Last updated 02.15.18 — Here are six recommendations that cover some of the best chef knives around, each produced by a different world-class knifemaker. This short list is designed not only to highlight quality chef knives, but to give you a sense of what’s out there (a lot!) and help you find the knife that’s right for you. (Please read my article How to Buy a Great Chef Knife to get more backstory.)

This is not a Top Ten List (or Top Six). And it’s not comprehensive. (You’ll notice there aren’t any traditional Japanese knifemakers on my Best Chef Knives list. Sorry, can’t explain why now.) But it should aid you in making some sense of the kitchen knife world and give you some ideas!

. . .a chef knife, depending on how hard you use it, could easily last 30 years or more.

The brands covered are: Henckels, Wusthof, Messermeister, Global, MAC, and Shun. The first three are centered in Germany, the last three in Japan. Most of these manufacturers produce a range of sizes/lengths as well as slightly different models of the same caliber. For example, although I’ve chosen Global’s santoku knife for this list, Global also makes a number of regular chef knives that are comparable quality. So, if one of the models on this list doesn’t exactly work for you, poke around some, you may find what you’re looking for.

Also—before you bemoan the prices, remember that your best chef knives, depending on how hard you use them and how well you take care of them, can easily last 30 years or more. I’m not exaggerating. Plus, they’re the single most important tool in your entire kitchen. (What would compete, your large sauté pan?) If you dollar-cost average the price of the most expensive knife on this list (say, the Shun 10-inch for $170), over 30 years it would cost you a whopping $5.66 per year! So try to see the BIG picture.

Henckels Professional S 8-Inch Chef Knife

Henckels is one of the largest knifemakers in the world and has been around since the 1700s. They produce at least 11 different lines of knives, so it’s especially important to be clear what model you’re buying. The Pro S line is one of their finest and is manufactured in Solingen, Germany where their core factories are located. They also have factories in Spain and, as a newer development, in Japan as well. It’s in Japan where they produce their latest creation, a model designed by Bob Kramer, the American bladesmith who has set the bar high for kitchen-knife quality.

The Professional S is fully forged from one hunk of steel—and with a bolster, a full-tang, and a three-rivet handle, it’s as classic as it gets. Although the handle’s been made to look and feel like wood, it’s not. Wood handles are no longer the norm and most manufacturers assume customers would rather have the longevity offered by a synthetic material.

This chef knife is one of the mainstays of my kitchen and I loooove the feel—nicely balanced with a little heft, but nothing that tires my hand out (for the record, I don’t spend hours prepping). I got it sharpened well over a year ago, and with regular honing its kept it’s edge. It comes in two sizes, an 8-inch and 10. (There’s also a 6-inch, but that’s too small for an all-purpose blade.)

MORE OPTIONS• Henckels now makes the Pro line (no “S”) that sports a stripped down bolster which makes the blade easier to pinch grip as well as sharpen (same level of quality):Henckels Pro Chef Knife, $100–130 @ Amazon / Sur la Table
• If you prefer to buy Wusthof—which I discuss below—they make a very similar model: Wusthof Classic Chef Knife, $100–130 @ Amazon / Sur la Table

Wusthof Classic Ikon 7-Inch Santoku

Wusthof is the other of the “Big Two” German knifemakers and some pros swear by it over Henckels because they feel the quality is higher. Not sure if this perception is justified, but it’s probably aided by the fact Wusthof has been family-owned and run for almost 200 years. Interesting enough, both Wusthof and Henckels are manufactured in the same German town (along with dozens of other blademakers) which is one of the knife-making capitals of the world.

Although Wusthof makes a terrific traditional chef knife very similar to Henckels, as a contrast, I recommend looking at this model because:

1) it has the Classic Ikon curved handle that might feel better to some people’s hands

2) it’s a santoku, Japanese-style blade, which some might prefer. It gives you the width of a longer knife without the more cumbersome length. And it should be noticeably thinner and lighter than your traditional 8-inch chef knife.

Whether or not you like a bolster is up to you, it is no measure of quality. . .

Like the regular high-quality chef knives made by Wusthof, it’s fully forged and has a full tang. But, unlike them, it does not host a full bolster. Whether or not you like a bolster is up to you, it is no measure of quality, but will make the knife easier to sharpen. This santoku also sports the scalloped edge that is all the rage to, theoretically, keep food from sticking. Because this model is in the Japanese-style, but made by a German knifemaker, I would call it a hybrid of sorts. (Henckels makes santokus as well.)

If you like the santoku style, but don’t care about the Ikon’s curvy handle and would like to save some cash, check out the santoku Wusthof makes in the Classic line. The feel will vary slightly (because of the different handle), but the blade itself will be exactly the same. You’re paying extra for the handle.

Messermeister Meridian Elite 9-Inch Chef Knife

Messermeister knives, like the name sounds, are rooted in Germany—the Meridian Elite line being forged in the very same German town as the preceding knives from the Big Two. While Messermeister is not as big an operation as Henckels and Wusthof, they’re no less revered for their quality. Maybe even more so.

This knife makes my Best Chef Knives list for three reasons:

1) it’s highly recommended by Chad Ward in his book An Edge in the Kitchen as being uber-sharp. It comes from the factory with a highly polished edge that Ward claims is superior to any of the “big-name knife brands” and will hold it for a substantial amount of time.

2) it has a partial bolster which makes it easier to sharpen (and is a nod to Japanese knives)

3) it comes in a 9-inch size that’s a perfect compromise between an 8- and a 10-inch—but often doesn’t cost any more than your average 8-inch. Neat, huh?

There’s only one caveat—the blade width (of the 9-inch) is too wide for your average knife rack. You’ll need to make special provisions. If that concerns you, or, if you don’t care about the extra length, then buy an 8-inch. (See the link above.)

STEALTH Messermeister has created a “stealth” version of many of their premium lines where the blade is about 25 percent thinner and (thus) 10 percent lighter than the traditional model. Less resistance and less weight to fatigue your arm. A home cook will probably not notice much difference. But a pro, wielding the blade eight hours a day, surely will. Cool idea, to offer the customer a choice!

Global 7-Inch Santoku (G-48)

Global revolutionized the kitchen-knife world in the 1980s by creating a series of high-performance knives that were on the cutting edge of fashion (forgive the pun), yet still affordable. Like traditional Japanese knives, they’re extremely light with a thin, razor-sharp edge. Yet in blade design, they generally owe more to Western tradition than Japanese. That’s why I call them Japanese hybrids in that they graft one tradition of knifemaking onto another. Most of Global’s knives are not forged, but made of a high-quality steel that has been tempered and heat treated to new levels of sophistication.

While the shape of the blade on the G-48 is similar to the Wusthof santoku, the balance and feel should be quite different. To say nothing of the styling. No major knife brand stands out as so stunningly modern. (Interesting detail: Global injects the perfect amount of sand into the hollow handle to make it balance correctly.) As mentioned before, if you prefer a more Western-styled chef’s blade, Global has plenty of those also. Try a G-2 or a G-61.

I own this santoku and am embarrassed to admit I treasure the edge so much that I can’t bear to do much chopping with it, but save it mainly for slicing. Which it does amazingly! (Crazy, I know.)

KitchenKnifeGuru eBook—Kitchen Knife Basics

For all you eBook junkies who would rather snuggle up with with an iPad than click and scroll on a computer. Kitchen Knife Basics ($7.95) has got all the core material from the KitchenKnifeGuru website, but in an easy-to-read format that only an eBook can offer. You’ll learn about the most common edge styles for kitchen knives, what a hone (or steel) is and exactly how to use it, how to find and choose a quality sharpening service that’s not expensive—and much much more. You can even download a sample if you just want to get a taste!

MAC MTH-80 – Professional Series 8-Inch Chef Knife with Dimples

MAC knives seem to be one of the best kept secrets of the consumer kitchen knife market. Professionals seem to know all about them with famous chefs like Thomas Keller and Charlie Trotter unabashedly endorsing them as the ultimate cutting machine. But ask your average home gourmet, and odds are they’ve never heard of them.

Japanese designed and manufactured, like Global, they’re a new breed of kitchen knife, a hybrid—that incorporates the harder and thinner Japanese steel with a Western-shaped blade. They’re not as stylish as Global, but probably even sharper. And (like Global) they’re also not forged, but highly machined.

As the Messermeister above, Chad Ward (in An Edge in the Kitchen) raves about the pure cutting fury of the MTH-80. So for those who worship sharp, this one’s for you!

The MTH-80 Professional is the workhorse of MACs various product lines and I’m guessing it’s the most popular because it offers the maximum sharpitude for your dollar. Plus, the welded-on bolster creates an unusual combination of super-thin blade with added weight that keeps it balanced in your hand more like a German-style knife. According to Gourmet Magazine, a MAC knife is “the difference between a minivan and race car.” Care to take one out for a spin?

(Note: Please be careful not to confuse the MTH-80 Professional with the TH-80 – Chef Series 8″ Chef Knife with Dimples, a lower-level model that goes for $40 or more less.)

Miyabi Kaizen II Paring Knife, 3.5-Inch

Yeah, I know, this is supposed to be about chef knives. But this is one gorgeous paring knife that will skin a peach like there’s no tomorrow. Damascus-patterned steel wrapped around the latest hi-tech core that will take a fine edge and keep it. I bought one for myself a year ago and I still get a secret little thrill every time I slice up an apple. It’s light, but stays in your hand because the handle has some girth.

Miyabi, as the name suggests, is a true-blue Japanese knife manufacturer acquired by Henckels in 2004. The majority of Miyabi knives available in the U.S. are Japanese/German hybrids—thin Japanese blades designed in the shapes/functions Westerners are accustomed to (chef knife, paring, boning, etc.).

Shun Classic 8-Inch Chef Knife (DM0706)

Shun, along with Global, is probably one of the most popular and well-known Japanese brands in the U.S. It’s no wonder—their flagship line, Shun Classic, is very attractive and very sharp. They’re manufactured in Seki City, Japan, which, along with Solingen, is another knife-making capital.

Don’t let the beautiful wavy pattern on the blade fool you—it’s much more than a pretty face. Sandwiched between 32 layers of swirly-patterned softer steel (16 layers per side) lies a thin hard core that creates the edge. At Rockwell 61, it’s harder than half of the knives on this list. Which gives it the ability to hold a 16-degree edge for a very long time.

I have to admit when I first unpacked my new Shun 6-inch chef’s a few years back, I was stunned at how light it was. For someone used to weightier German blades, the lightness felt almost chintzy. Silly me. Over time, I’ve now come to fully appreciate the way the thin sharp blade can slice through denser foods with ease and less resistance than my thicker German knives. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not ready to abandon ship—but it’s great to have Shun as an option.

Another reason the Shun Classic is on this best chef knives list is its distinctive Pakkawood handle. It’s similar to the nimble feel of a traditional Japanese knife, but different. The unique D-shaped contour might fit certain cook’s hands better than others. So, if a typical Western-style knife handle has never felt comfy enough, here’s another way to go.

MORE RECOMMENDATIONS

Best Chef Knives Summary

• If you like a knife with heft, then the Henckels or Messermeister will probably please you most. They’re forged German steel through and through and will feel the most solid.

• If you want light and nimble, then the Global and Shun should be at the top of your list. The Wusthof and MAC could be back up.

• If you have a smaller-sized hand and want your knife to fit snuggly in it, the Shun and Wusthof should be your fist picks. The handles on both are more streamlined and less bulky.

• If you have a larger hand and don’t want it to feel squished on the cutting board, the Messermeister and the MAC should give you the most clearance. The handles are long and the width of the blades should keep your knuckles from banging the countertop. (Actually, the Global will work equally well in this regard, it’s pretty roomy.)

• For pure beauty, the Global and Shun would be hard to beat. The Global is designed in high-tech modern, the Shun in classic contemporary. The Wusthof also, with it’s curved handle, has some extra swish. (And rest assured, there’s no sacrifice of looks for performance on any of these knives.)

• If you love tradition, or know you want a knife with a classic look and feel that will never go out of style, the Henckels is your man. It is the closest to a vintage chef knife.

• Finally, if you crave sharposity, if you’re aching to get your tired chef hands on one of the meanest slicing-and-dicing machines on the planet—go with the MAC. You will not be disappointed. (And, as a more elegant second, consider the Messermeister.)

Six up, six down! As you can see, there are a lot of wonderful knives out there. Hopefully this short list of best chef knives has given you a taste of the possibilities. Remember, stay with quality brands—there’s no free lunch—and stay with what feels and works best for you. It’s your body. It’s your kitchen. Have fun cooking!

Thanks for chiming in Glenn! From my experience, I don’t think there’s anything particularly lowbrow about Global’s quality or sharpitude. My G-48 has been resharpened by a fantastic pro sharpening service, so that might make a difference—but I remember the factory edge as being pretty darn sharp as well. Certainly just as sharp as my Shun Classic chef’s.

But it’s a big kitchen knife world out there and everybody’s welcome to their own opinion!

Thanks for sharing, Peter! I wasn’t familiar with Kohetsu, so I just looked it up. Sounds like the HAP40 steel that the Kohetsu is made of is an impressively hard steel that will hold its edge longer than most knives out there (HRC 65). It might be a little advanced for this crowd (and maybe for me, as well).

My biggest concern is, considering how hard the steel is, how susceptible is it to cracking and chipping? Any problems with this? I assume you treat it extra, extra-special. Also, I’m curious. . .is your Global sharpening block a whetstone or a waterstone? Oh, and can you hone it with a ceramic steel?

I don’t personally own one, though I’ve been looking to buy one. But from what I’ve researched, it doesn’t chip too easily—though it obviously can chip like all knives. It’s a fairly well-rounded, tough alloy whose chemical composition is a bit more unique—hence, it’s high HRC doesn’t act as predictably as compared to other knives. With moderate care within the line of the Shun recommended in this article, I’d imagine most home cooks would appreciate it, even with minimal knowledge of care—like don’t shove it in the super-hot, clangy dishwasher; think about maybe sharpening it when it feels under the weather; possibly hone it when you wanna feel good about yourself before dinner; maybe don’t try chopping through bone; dry it if you care more than usual. I believe it can stand all the usual neglect and semi-care of an everyday home cook fairly well.

Best kitchen knives from our side of the pond? Bob Kramer, Bill Burke, Devin Thomas, Michael Rader, Marco Tsoukan, Murray Carter, Butch Harner and a few others spring to mind. When you talk about Japan, you are talking about “shops” as opposed to brands that carry the maker’s name. Shigefusa would be one that many would mention.

I have a gorgeous Shigefusa 7”; unfortunately it reacts with almost every vegetable I’ve cut with it, no matter how much I keep it oiled. And I haven’t the skill to keep it sharp myself, so it’s a drag getting it sharpened professionally as often as I need to.

Sounds like a lovely knife! But carbon steel knives always take more maintenance—that’s why I never recommend them to the average consumer.

1) You can’t keep carbon steel from reacting to acid in vegetables. This is natural and as long as you wash, dry, and oil after very use, the blade should not rust, but gradually develop a patina (a dark gray color without much shine). The patina will act as a natural protective and prevent it from rusting as easily.

Please make sure you’re using the right kind of oil—Tsubaki oil is the standard—not vegetable oil or mineral oil.

2) If you simply hone it regularly, either on a leather strop or a medium-grit waterstone, you will not need to sharpen it as often. But with a high-end knife like this, you probably should only use a leather strop or waterstone—not quite as simple as a ceramic steel.

Very helpful review. Lots of people out there looking to buy professional knives now that TV chefs have made cooking “cool” again. I work professionally with a full set of Globals, and—to anyone who wants comparative value with quality—I’m a happy customer (who hates Big Macs).

;) I just wanted to say how much I appreciate seeing a nice reply plus a great joke (I’m not a Big Mac fan myself). I’ve never understood why so many people like to leave rather rude comments when someone is just trying to offer a little advice.

I’m searching for a great knife for my dad who spends much time cooking for me. We are on the move a lot because we are yet to find a group of doctors who are able to fix me. But I really want him to quit being frustrated by the crappy knives found in most furnished rentals. Can’t tell you how many times I awaken to the swish, swish, swish of knife sharpener upon a knife, which refuses to be sharpened, along with his grumbles of irritation.

And of course, much thanks to you KitchenKnifeGuru for the awesome info!!!

I’m so glad KKG has been able to help you and your dad :) Please make sure to get him a ceramic hone as well and have him check out my Top Ten Tips on the KKG home page. This will help him keep his new knife sharp as long as possible. (BTW. . .what knife did you decide to buy him?)

Actually, the Cutco 9.25-inch French chef knife retails for ONLY $144 in the States. It’s a deal. . .ha-ha!

BTW, although the Misono is wonderfully made and beautifully sharp, I’m sure you must be aware it comes from the factory with asymmetrical bevels (70/30) which make it a real pain to sharpen. For this reason alone, I don’t think I’d ever buy one. And judging from the comments on the knife forums I’m not alone. . .

There is a dedicated core of Cutco devotees out there, but many of them are Cutco sales reps, so they are not exactly impartial customers. (For those who aren’t aware, Cutco does not sell through stores, but relies on individuals to sell their products one-on-one.)

I have a Cutco hand-me-down butcher’s knife from my Mom which I love to use for slicing up unwieldy slabs of meat like sides of salmon or flank steak. But for regular, day-to-day use, I don’t think a Cutco chef’s knife would hold up as well as the brands and models I’ve recommended in this article.

Congratulations, Brendon! And thanks for turning me on to a whole new line of knives from Global. Global Sai looks like a serious addition to the kitchen knife world — I will have to investigate further :)

RE sharpening and honing: I don’t trust or recommend the water wheel sharpener (I think you’re talking about the Minosharp). Why not? 1) Who knows what the grits of the ceramic rollers are? Chances are you will over-sharpen your knives instead of simply honing them. 2) What’s the angle of the wheels? It may match the 12.5 degrees of your new Sai Global knives and it may not. Even if it does, it’s fixed and can’t adjust much. As the edge wears, it helps to be able to slightly adjust the honing angle. 3) This kind of sharpener will tempt you to use it as a replacement for quality sharpening. But it can never compete with a quality professional sharpening service.

I recommend using a ceramic steel, and then, depending on the wear and tear and your taste for sharpitude, sending them to a sharpening service every year or so.

I’m a culinary student and I have Shun chef knife, 6-inch. I wonder which type of steel to keep the sharpness of my Shun? Is sandstone OK, or not? Magnetic steel or ceramic steel? Advice and tips are highly appreciated. Thanks!

I’ve never heard of a sandstone hone. Perhaps you’re referring to a Japanese waterstone—which can be used for sharpening as well as touching up (similar to honing).

At any rate, if you’re going to use a honing rod, it should definitely be ceramic. Your average steel hone will not be hard enough, plus it might have ridges that will mess up your knife. See these articled on the KKG site for more info:

I think in the hands of a home cook the water wheel sharpener is well suited—because it is one style of sharpener that you don’t need to have skills to use and it will always give a reliable result. Probably not the very best of results, but for that market it’s aimed at, definitely good enough. Give a home cook a steel and chances are they’ll destroy the blade in three passes!

As for the angle, you’d assume that a Global sharpener would have the same angle as a Global knife. However, after time, no doubt the wheels will wear and put the angle out alignment.

As mentioned regarding cooking shows becoming so popular, there is a new market these days—passionate home cooks who may not have formal training, but buy good gear and need to maintain it. I think it’s one of the best things to happen to the food industry, and I bet it’s a growing market too!

So for this, Global kitchen knives, Victorinox steak knives (so underwhelming to look at, but seriously sharp—make eating a great steak even more enjoyable!), and a sharpening system that can easily be used in your average suburban kitchen, suit this market well. Because I don’t know one single home cook who takes their kitchen knives to a sharpening service. It’s horses for courses :)

Thanks for joining in! I’ve got just a couple more comments to drag out this discussion even further. . .

– I’m afraid I’ll have to heartily disagree with your opinion that home cooks can’t handle steels/hones properly. It’s not brain surgery. With correct instruction, and using a ceramic hone, even I—who am not a particularly crafty person—have maintained the edges of my kitchen knives, making them last for years :)

Since I teach cooking history as a hobby I love vintage knives — F. Dick, Dexter, Sabatier, Henckels, Cutco’s — but for my everyday needs I do keep evolving. My new favorite toys are Shun Edo, love the feather weight feel. But for a hunk of meat, I still go back to either Wusthof or Dexter, for bread, it’s vintage Cutco.

Here’s a link to the Shun Edo — if anyone’s interested in checking it out! It does look like a well-designed knife with great ergonomics. And judging from the specs, I’m pretty sure it will more than match the sharpitude of the Shun Classic recommended above :)

Thanks, Cindy, for the feedback! If there’s anything else I can help you with, please feel free to contact me. (I’ve also got a FB page that’s a perfect place to discuss.) BTW – what will your replacement knife be?

I have a 10-inch Henckels chef’s knife, an 8-inch Wusthof chef’s knife, and an 8-inch Wusthof vegetable knife, which I REALLY LOVE and which was a gift. I never would have bought a knife just for vegetables for myself, but man does it make chopping onions and potatoes fast. Now looking for a great boning knife and a cleaver, since my dad (a retired cook) is going to start teaching me butchering skills! Can’t wait! I also would love a santoku of some sort.

All of the manufacturers and lines covered in this article make high quality boning knives, so that shouldn’t be too hard to find. A cleaver is another matter though. That’s something I’ve been wanting to research for quite a while–for a follow-up on this article. Happy shopping:)

I’ve been looking to buy myself a decent chef’s knife for a while, but I had no idea where to start! I’m so glad I found your site. I think I’ll either go for a Wusthof or Henckels. I’ve used a Henckels serrated knife before, and I find the shape and feel perfect.

Thanks for making things so easy!! Definitely will be coming back to this website to read up on more things!

You’re welcome, Ange, and it sounds like you’re on the right track! The main thing is to buy from a reputable manufacturer and avoid their lower-tier knives. For an 8-inch chef, that will run you $100 and up. Secondly, remember — it’s much more important how well you maintain your knife than how blisteringly sharp it is out of the box. See my post: Best Chef Knife — Don’t Overrate the Factory Edge.

So, I got a beautiful Shun chef’s knife for my wedding two and a half years ago, and now the blade is full of notches. I’m pretty religious about taking care of the knife (hand wash only, dry immediately, always stored in the block), but it seems that every time I cut up a chicken I get another notch in the blade.

So, should I not be cutting up chickens with my knife? Is there something else I’m doing wrong?

The short answer is — you shouldn’t be cutting up chickens with a Shun chef knife:) If you are cutting through, or near bone, you are asking the knife to do something it is NOT designed to do. And the thin, hard steel at the core of a Shun chef knife will chip on bone. A knife made of German-style steel, which is softer and tougher, can usually take that kind of abuse without chipping—and if you’re highly skilled, you can make it work. (For more about this kind of stuff, check out Knife Edges 101 and How to Buy a Chef Knife.)

1) If you’re cutting straight through bone, you should be using either a pair of kitchen shears or a cleaver. Here are some shears I’d recommend:

I guess one thing I was kind of missing in this otherwise awesome review is the durability parameter. It’s sort of present in the Shun section, where the hardness of the edge is addressed, but in the final recommendations section, that dimension is missing. I do appreciate the sharposity bit, as that’s important to me, but so is knowing what will be a more involved edge to maintain at a certain relative sharpness over other, possibly more durable yet relatively “duller” edges.

Knife maintenance is a complex subject with a clear line in the sand: those who will do it (me), and those who will not/won’t do it properly (despite all instruction, like my family). This can be a deciding factor in home knife purchases. Can we get a follow up on that area?

I believe what you’re asking is — Which of the above six recommended knives would be easier, or harder, to maintain? Or, Which could put up with more abuse, which would be more finicky and delicate? Good question.

My understanding is that, of the six recommended knives, the first three — which are all made of German steel — would be tougher, able to take more abuse, less likely to chip, and require less TLC. (That would be the Henckels, Wusthof, and Messermeister.)

Explanation: The main factor determining the resilience of a knife, or its ability to withstand abuse, is the type of steel it is made of. Typically, German steel is tougher, not as hard and brittle as Japanese steel, and, thus, can handle a lot more stress. It is also usually heated-treated to a hardness in the range of 55 to 58 HRC — which does NOT allow it to hold an edge as long as Japanese steel, but DOES allow it to take more abuse. (Japanese steel is usually in the range of 60-63 HRC and up.)

A secondary factor in determining a knife’s toughness would be the thinness of the blade and/or the fineness of the sharpened edge. Again, Japanese knives tend to be thinner than German knives, and thus not able to handle as much stress. And they tend to be sharpened to a sharper, and more delicate, edge. So, you need to be more careful with them. For example, you might not want to hack into a butternut squash with a Japanese blade or drop it on a hard, tile floor. On the other hand, the harder Japanese steel can be easier to sharpen than softer German steel.

All six of the recommended knives could be honed with a ceramic hone which would bring back the edge again and again.

That was some good information. Since I cannot afford the retail prices of
your recommendations, I have used Craig’s List to find them cheaper.
Three examples: F.Dick 1457-26 ($11), Henckels 30721-162 ($15), and
Henckels 30723-162 ($10).

I can totally appreciate your desire to find a bargain, but I’m sorry to say that the two Henckels knives you mention are from the Twin Signature series which is one of Henckels’ less expensive, lesser-quality lines. They list new for $50 (30721-162) and $35 (30723-162) — not $100 or more like the knives on my list.

Though these knives bear the Henckels name, they come from a very different knife universe than the Henckels Pro S that I recommend above. The most significant difference is that they are not forged, but “precision-stamped.” Thus, the steel they are made of will not hold as sharp an edge, or hold it as long, as the steel in Henckels’ Pro S and other higher-level knives which are all forged. And to make things even more complicated, Henckels makes another line of knives called the “International” that are manufactured in Spain. And, although they are forged, they don’t match the quality of Henckels’ other high-level knives either. Confusing, huh?

Henckels manufacturers over a dozen different lines of knives (not including Miyabi which is separate entity under the Henckels umbrella). And they are only ONE knife-manufacturing company (though a major one). This is one of the main reasons I wrote the Best Knives article—to help consumers sort through the kitchen knife jungle out there and offer them some high-quality tips :)

(As for the F. Dick knife you mention, I could not find that exact model anywhere. Are you sure you input it correctly?)

I find Global brand a good knife because it is lightweight and better in ergonomics and absolutely freaking sharpest knife amongst. Other brand are hard to sharpen though they have good steel. For example Wusthof is a great knife, but poor at ergonomic and is heavy.

It all depends on what your needs are, what you like, and what you are used to, doesn’t it? For example, it took me a while to adjust to how light my Shun chef knife was. When I first took it out of the box and handled it, it felt flimsy from what I was used to. But now I’ve adapted and very much appreciate it.

That said, I still enjoy the weight of a classic chef knife like the Wusthof Classic or the Henckels Pro S. But I am not a professional chopping veggies all day long. If I were, the weight might begin annoy me and tire me out more as compared to a Japanese knife. That’s why it’s so important to find the best knife for you—as I cover in my article How to Buy a Great Chef Knife.

I have to say that I slightly disagree about your choice of the Wusthof Santoku knife. Typically, santokus aren’t nearly as versatile as conventional chef’s knives. While they are handy for some tasks, their limitations would preclude them from being on my best list.

You’re welcome to disagree, Matt! The thing is, it depends on who you are and what you cook, doesn’t it? For example: Many home cooks are intimidated by the length of a classic chef knife and feel more comfortable with the compact size of a santoku. Yes, the santoku will not dice up a large onion as fast or quarter a fat honeydew as easily as a 8- or 9-inch chef knife. Buuuut, the blade is just about as broad and it will handle smaller jobs with ease.

You’re most welcome, Vanessa! And if you have any more questions you might want to check out my article: How to Buy a Great Chef Knife. You are also always welcome to leave a question/message on the KKG Facebook page :)

Great article! Kitchen knives come in so many different styles and quality levels it can be super confusing to figure out what is the best one to buy. I like that Wusthof you mentioned above, I’d never seen that knife before. I may have to snag one!

My online research tells me that Acros knives are an inexpensive knockoff trying to pass themselves off as a high-quality. Why?

– Price: Their most expensive 8-inch chef knife runs $72.24 Euros or $75.92. That’s close to half the price a high-quality knife that size would run if it were made by one of the name-brand manufacturers listed in the above article. My experience has shown time and time again — there is NO FREE LUNCH in the kitchen knife world. If a kitchen knife is priced much lower than other well-known quality brands. . .there’s a reason.

– Nitrum steel: Arcos says the knives are forged from Nitrum steel which doesn’t really mean much — it’s just a cool sounding name Arcos has made up for the steel they use. And without a proper identification of the steel, you are taking a big risk. Plus, Arcos does not describe the tempering and hardening process for their steel. They spend more time describing their handles than the blade itself. Pretty silly. . .

– Where are the knives made? They don’t say and I’m betting it’s China. China is not famous for it’s high-quality steel or knife making.

For all these reasons and more, I would shy away Arcos knives. While the knives may come out of the box shiny and sharp, I’m betting the blades will not stay sharp, nor wear as well, as a high-quality Wusthof, Henckels, Global, etc. And I think your money would be better spent saving up for one of the brands/models mentioned in my article above :)

First of all, thank you very much for your blog. I am looking for new knives for my kitchen and it is helping me a lot. In the process of gathering information, I’ve found some interesting info about Arcos. Let me share it with you :)

– Price: The prices of Arcos knives are lower than others, but also realize the labour cost in Spain is almost half of German costs.

– Nitrum steel: I agree with you that this is a marketing-made name, but you can find a little bit more information about it at: http://blog.arcos.com/nitrum/ (It is in Spanish, but you can always use Google translate). It shows some information about ISO 8442 results and you can find here http://www.catra.org/pages/products/kniveslevel1/slt.htm that Arcos is one of just a few companies that own a machine that can conduct these tests (and the only company I’ve found with published results).

– These knives are made in Albacete (Spain). Arcos was created in 1745. In fact, it is one of the oldest companies in Spain.

– Zwilling International knives (Zwilling’s lower cost brand, the one with only one guy in the logo) are forged by Arcos.

To begin with, let me tell you. . .I love Spain! My parents lived in Madrid in the late 70s and I still remember dining on chimpirones en su tinta (a Basque dish, I know), walking in El Retiro, and viewing Goya paintings at el Museo del Prado. But lets not let our nationalism, or cultural bias, get in the way of choosing a great kitchen knife :)

I’m from the U.S. and notice there are NO American manufacturers on the above, Best Chef Knives, list either. For example, Cutco, probably the most famous U.S. brand, did not make it on. (There are a number of high-quality custom-made kitchen knives made in the U.S., but this article was more about accessible brands you can easily get a hold of.) So please don’t feel like I’m picking on Spain. Plus, realize, at the beginning of the article, I state very clearly the list does not claim to be exclusive or have the final say on quality kitchen knives.

That said, thanks much for clarifying a few things. Good to know that Arcos are made in Spain (not China), and that they are manufactured by an old, established company. As far as Nitrum steel and Acros’ quantitative testing is concerned, I’m on the fence. I’d have to see the results of doing the very same tests on other high-quality name-brand knives before changing my opinion.

Soooo, let me revise my official KKG opinion and say that SOME of the Arcos knife lines, like the Kyoto for example, may be high-quality. They may hold up well in the kitchen against a Wusthof Classic or a Shun Classic. It’s a possibility. That’s the best I can do at the moment. . . :)

Hello, first of all thank you for your work. It’s always good to find professional people like you.

I’m from Barcelona, Spain, and I live in the U.S. I’ve been working in a kitchen supply store for more than 40 years and my family company is selling knives for 95 years, so I think, in my humble opinion, I know what a knife is.

A knife is like a bottle of wine, you don’t need to be an expert to know that a $300 or more bottle is gonna be an amazing wine. A good sommelier will suggest to you a wine that’s the same quality for half the price or less—this is when a professional makes the difference.

Yes, I agree with you, those Germans brands are very very good, but Americans are very attached to those Germans brands because they were the first to come to this country. They have (and always have had) good marketing, the most important element being imparting the sense that their products are “the best”.

Between you and me, you don’t need a $300 or more knife to do a professional job, whether you are at home or in a restaurant, this is just marketing. And yes, a $300 knife will be awesome in your kitchen (if you can afford it), but you don’t really need it in your kitchen.

I’m an avid cook, thus, I have knives in my hand all the time. And I would say you are fooling yourself to think that only expensive knives are good. Reputation has a price, and you need to pay for it, but it’s not necessarily worth paying for. If you are OK with paying more, good, but this is not a smart purchase.

It’s true that maybe 70 years ago it was true that those Germans brands had their own German steel formula, but nowadays this is not true at all. Here in U.S., you can manufacture knives with that exact same German steel, this is not a secret. For this reason, we need to be smarter and collect the right info to make the best decision, and buy what we need for the right price.

About Arcos knives I can tell you that these guys have been making knives only in Spain since 1745 (pretty close to J.A. Henckels 1731), so I think this is not a huge difference. If you visit any Solingen or Arcos factories, when you are inside you can’t see the difference between them, the process is the same, with the same technology and same strict European standards. For this reason, you can’t say that Germans are better than Arcos. Of course, you need to compare the same category of product, then, you are going to see that Arcos can be totally comparable to those German brands.

Over the past 20 years, I’ve tried many times to cut with closed eyes using a forged Arcos knife and a forged German knife, and I have never been able to tell a difference between them. Of course, we all know, every hand has his own knife, and the knife that works for me won’t necessarily work for you.

Arcos is a new brand here in the States, it’s just question of time before they will have a good reputation here, too. Have you seen Arcos reviews on the internet? You should. Arcos is a fantastic knife brand, they produce 24 million knives each year only in Spain and they sell all over the world. We’re not talking about an small knife shop, Arcos is a “big” European knife company.

Thanks for sharing your opinions! You cover a lot of ground in your comment (which I have already edited), so considering the confines of this website page, I’m only going to be able to respond to a few of your topics. But I believe the most important point you’re trying to make is that, from your experience, Arcos knives are the same (or similar) quality as the major German brands. Before I respond to your main point, let me touch on a couple of side-topics:

– “You don’t need a $300 or more knife to do a professional job.” You’re right, you don’t. And you don’t need an expensive car to get from here to there. But a better-made car may make the ride more comfortable, more enjoyable, safer, and less tiring. The same with knives, don’t you think? Consider Cameron’s comments on Takeda knives (in this comment chain—April 20th, 2016) for more on this.

– “Here in U.S., you can manufacture knives with that exact same German steel. . .” Absolutely true. Buuuut. . . .it’s not only the steel you use for a knife, but how expertly you heat treat it that makes it high-quality, makes the blade able to take, and hold, a fine edge. Two knife makers using the very same steel, but different heat treatment, could produce knives of distinctly different quality. There can also be differences in how perfectly the knife edge has been sharpened/ground, polished/finished.

Now, back to our main topic: the quality of Arcos knives compared to German brands like Wusthof or Henckels. . .

I do not own an Arcos knife, so my opinion must rely on research (as with a number of knives I discuss on KKG). But after spending quite a bit more time exploring the world of Arcos online, my revised opinion is that their manufacturing quality is probably similar to the German brands.

It’s not easy to verify this (without talking with someone knowledgeable at their company) because Arcos does not provide as much information as I would like to have. Things like, 1) what kind of steel they use, and 2) the HRC hardness of their blades—knowing these things would help confirm. But they do tout their Nitrum stainless steel which, from what I can gather, improves the wear resistance while keeping the grain structure fine (by adding nitrogen to the steel formula). The Swedes do this with their steel and it’s good stuff—and it makes me wonder if Arcos is simply using a Swedish steel. Which would be great!

Arcos also seems highly tuned-in to quality standards. They have specific metrics in place for measuring the initial cutting power (CIC) and cutting edge durability (RFC) of their various knives. The problem is that these metrics are not used by the Germans, so we can’t compare. Ideally, Arcos would run comparable German knives through the same testing they do on theirs and share the numbers :)

I do have one very important caveat: Because (like the German knife makers) Arcos manufacturers quite a few lines of varying styles and quality, it’s really important to know what you’re paying for. You can’t buy a knife from their Universal line and expect it to have the same finish and performance as one from their Kyoto line. (The same is true with the Germans.)

Arcos Knives Top Picks
Soooo. . .in sync with my other recommendations on this website, there are only three Arcos models/lines I feel comfortable recommending: the Kyoto, the Riviera, and the Clasica. These are all three forged knives (versus stamped). And to be honest—without having an opportunity to become more familiar with them, either hands-on or through additional research—the only line I would (at this moment) buy for myself would be the Kyoto, their top-tier model. I’m pretty sure the Kyoto will perform similarly to Wusthof’s forged lines (Classic, Classic Ikon, etc., see Wusthof Knives—a Buyer’s Guide) and the forged lines from Henckels (Professional S, Pro).

Arcos manufactures an army of product that varies in style and quality. (So do Henckels and Wusthof for that matter.) Thus, you must be specific about what models/lines your talking about before coming to any conclusions. In general, Arcos seems comparable to the major German knife makers. See my full response on Arcos knives above. . .

Kenwood knives? Hmmm. . .I’ve never heard of them. In a quick search, I noticed that Kenwood does make a high-end food processor, an electric carving knife, and knives for the dining table. Were you joking around? :)

Hi Nate!
I’m not a chef or even an accomplished cook. I just wandered into the kitchen out of necessity. Now I’m learning a lot about ingredients and methods, and of course, about kitchen tools (knives especially) since I started cooking only about 2 years ago (I’m 58 BTW)…

I’m in India, so getting hold of a really good knife is quite difficult. Will try Amazon, nevertheless. Your blog is awesome (sorry to use that silly cliche) and really well written! I truly enjoyed reading it.

Thanks so much for chiming in — I really appreciate your stamp of approval! Writing informative-but-fun copy takes serious work, so it’s gratifying to hear it’s being appreciated.

Enjoy your journey into the world of food and cooking — it’s a wonderful world and it’s never too late. If there’s anything more I can do to help you in your acquisition of a quality chef knife, please let me know. (My Facebook page would probably be the best avenue for further discussion.) And please please please purchase a ceramic hone along with your knife. It’s the only way you will avoid oversharpening it and make it’s sharpitude last and last.

Thanks for the review. When I was a younger chef, I would use the German steel, as it was cheaper and more available at the time—also a lot easier to sharpen. I moved up to Globals 8 years ago and a few Shun knives. I liked these for they were thinner, sharper, and less tiring in your hand for the whole day. But recently one of my buddies bought me a Mac knife as a present and I am sold on them. Yes, they are incredibly sharp—especially from a whetstone and ceramic steel. . .amazing knives. But why can’t they look more sexy?. . .LOL

I’ve owned three off this list. The Wustof 10″ Grand Prix was my friend and confidante for over 15 years. Good and solid piece, I shed a tear to retire this tool. However, it’s looking more like a French knife at this point. The 8″ Henckels was a good buy—I guess that’s why it was stolen from me. Light and balanced with a certain aura of familiarity. Finally, the Shun 10″ Premier—so light and very very sharp. Respect this edge, my friends, it will teach you a lesson if you’re not mindful of your phalanges.

You get what you pay for—and there is no free lunch for a quality knife! You should read my article How to Buy a Great Chef Knife for more details.

In general, you are going to need to pony up from $80 to $120 for a quality 8-inch chef knife (which is your core kitchen knife). It may seem steep, but if you treat it right (i.e. hone it regularly and not abuse it) it could last over 20 years.

1) There is a lot of merchandise out there and many similar-sounding products are not equal in quality. That’s why I wrote the above article.

2) If you regularly track the knives on the above list, you will find that a couple of times of year there are specials deals to be found.

Below is a short list of links to some current deals on quality knives not covered in my Best Chef Knives article. . .

P.S. And then there is the Victorinox Fibrox Pro chef knife which is an incredible value. It is utilitarian in design, lacks the fit and finish of the other knives I recommend, and will not last as long, but the blade is excellent and can be maintained for quite a while. It’s very popular with professional chefs that need a well-performing knife, but do not want to have to worry about it too much.

Hi KKG
I’m looking to buy a chef’s knife or 2 for my son who has just started his professional cooking career. He has said he likes Victorinox knives, but I am not sure if he has tried others and also not sure about which to get (it’s a birthday present). Can you give me a recommendation?
Thanks

RE Best Chef Knives list and the professional kitchen
Every one of the knifemakers in the above list produces knives that could work well in a pro kitchen. And if you read the comments, you will find plenty of professional chefs swearing by their favorite(s). But two things to take note of:1) You probably would not want to buy him a shorter, santoku-style knife for pro use. In the case of both Wusthof and Global, you would want to buy their longer chef-style knives which I mention in the article.2) The Japanese-made knives, because they are made of Japanese steel which is brittler and because they are thinner, will be not be as rugged as the three German-made knives. This especially holds true for the Shun and the Global.

RE Victorinox
Victorinox makes terrific knives that perform like blades that cost four or five times as much. They come from the factory sharp, they retain their edges incredibly well, and can be sharpened and honed to bring back the sharpness.

Chefs love them because they perform so well, but are relatively cheap. Thus, they don’t have to worry about their knives getting lost, stolen, or damaged by someone else. (Most professional kitchens are wild and wooly places.) If something happens to a knife, they can replace it at a nominal cost.

This said, you must realize that Victorinox are, by design, stripped down and extremely utilitarian. They are light, the blade is rather bendable, and the handle looks and feels like plastic. They feel more like a toys than other, more expensive and finely wrought, knives.

If this is the route you think best to take, here’s a link to a 4-piece set that would serve him well:

RE the core three
Every serious cook basically needs three knives: a chef knife, a paring knife, and a bread knife. (Next in line would probably be a skinny boning knife, but you get the idea.) I have a few articles on this that might be helpful for you to peruse — one that explains the concept in more detail and a couple that recommend different knife sets. (The prices and links might be out-of-date — sorry.) So, this is another thing to consider as you shop.

RE How about both?
You might want to consider getting him one knife for work and one knife for home. For work, you could do the Victorinox, and for home. . .for home I would hands down recommend the Mac MTH-80. It’s a powerhouse designed for the professional and he will thank you for the rest of his life.

As a matter of fact, if it were me, and he were my son beginning his career as a chef, the Mac MTH-80 is the knife I would give him! End of story.

Mike,
Please scroll up and read my answer to Jack in the comments above. But, to quickly reiterate, my research suggests that a Cutco chef knife would not take as sharp an edge, would not keep it’s edge as long, and would not survive the wear and tear of sustained use and sharpening as well as the knives recommended in this article.

Actually, believe it or not, when you are paying that much for a chef knife, Cutco is probably your go to. They are actually very high quality and I’ve ran across a multitude of chefs that prefer them over any other knife. And they have a FOREVER guarantee. If it ever breaks, get it replaced for free. It’s very sharp and takes forever to dull. I have a friend who sells them and I absolutely love mine.

I think it’s wonderful that Cutco knives have a forever guarantee and that they also sharpen them for you for free. But, for what it’s worth, most of all the other major knife brands around the world, like Wusthof or Henckels, also have lifetime guarantees.

I still heartily disagree with your assessment of Cutco as compared to the knives on the above list. But I guess someday we’ll have to have a slicing-chopping-dicing-carving contest to settle the question. Until then, I suppose the short answer is. . .to each their own :)

Four out of six of these brands you should be able to find in a large kitchen store like Williams-Sonoma or Sur La Table. But I doubt you’ll find even that many in your average “local kitchen store.” It’s just too expensive to stock them all. At least that’s been my experience. And I live in the NYC area which is a pretty large and sophisticated market :)

I have a full set of Shun Classics. Love them. Now I’m moving more to the Shun blue steel line. They are awesome and very sharp. Only thing with them is they need more TLC as the cutting edge is blue carbon. But both Shun lines rock and, yes, I use them every day at work. Thanks.

Thanks for chiming in, Ronny! It’s nice to hear confirmation from a pro. I’ll have to take a look at the Shun Blue series. But sandwiching a super-hard, fine-grained carbon steel (the “blue” steel) between layers of stainless seems like a winning combo!
—KKG

Hi there — I launched my own brand of high-end Japanese chef knives in November 2013 and thought you guys might like to see them. They’re still not that well known and only made in small quantities.

Personally, I think they’re the best knives in the world — but I would say that, wouldn’t I? Fortunately, some of the UK’s best chefs agree with me. Please have a look at the TOG Knives website and especially our “chef testimonials” section which is new.http://www.togknives.com/chef-testimonials

Obviously, I’m a supplier, so I hope you don’t mind me chipping in. Thank you very much!

Thanks for exposing myself and the KKG clan to your new line of knives. They look promising and your list of testimonials definitely perk my interest!

I would take issue with some info on your “Tech Specs” page though—where you say the Rockwell Hardness of 58-60 is “harder than most knives and typical of knives from Seki.” I think you mean to say that HRC 58-60 is harder than most German knives. I’m sure you’re aware the majority of Japanese knives, including knives from Seki, are hardened to HRC 60 and harder. For example, Shun hardens their knives from HRC 60 to 62. For that matter, Wusthof hardens their knives to HRC 58 which is on the bottom end of your hardening range and they make a lot of knives! I think it would be more accurate, and less problematic, to simply tell us the HRC and leave it at that :)

I’m also not nuts about the claim on your “Products” page that says the ACUTO steel core gives “unbeaten edge retention.” Have you really tested this? Because I’m sure there are quite a few Japanese knives out there with HRCs of 60-62 that could beat it out. Perhaps it’s time to tone down the copywriter some :)

At any rate, it looks like you’ve created a high-quality and beautifully-designed product. It would be fun to try them out sometime!

I have been a professional chef for almost 20 years from every place to small restaurants to the Ritz Carlton to Norwegian Cruise Lines, and I tend to lean towards the Japanese makers over the European. Being the owner of at least 50 different knives, I can provide at least a small amount of insight on the subject. While I do own several from Shun (Classic, Edo, and Blue Steel), and they are excellent, I would recommend to those of you who might be in the market to splurge ($150 – $400) to look at the Misono UX10, Blazen Ryusen, Akifusa, Kasumi, Honesuke, and Moritaka lines.

But the knives I would recommend to anyone looking to spend less than $100 for a workhorse line of knives that perform far above their price point is the Tojiro DP series made from VG10 steel. I absolutely love these knives and have seen them sharpened enough as to be able to split a human hair with no downward force applied. Obvious this involves aftermarket sharpening by an expert, but the factory edge is quite outstanding for the price.

Hey PJ, thanks for your comments! We much appreciate hearing what you have garnered from experience regarding kitchen knives. It’s a big beautiful Japanese-knife world isn’t it? The main reason I tend not to recommend higher-end Japanese knives on KKG is that it’s my sense the average home cook will not be able to maintain and care for them properly and end up chipping them, etc. The prices can also be a barrier.

Not so for the Tojiro DP series though! Thanks much for the recommendation which is at the right price point and sounds like a wickedly sharp kitchen tool. Note to readers: the VG10 steel is the same steel that Shun uses for their Classic series.

For those interested in shopping, here’s an Amazon link:

I’d only mention one caveat regarding Tojiro: one Amazon buyer found their knife had a noticeable and annoying flaw in the blade which should have been caught in the factory by quality control. So, shoppers, please be prepared to check your knife over thoroughly before making it your own.

First off, thank you for the highly informative instructional pieces/buyer’s guides. I have to say that the depth of your interest and the level of background information/theory you provide fills me with far more confidence in your views than those of any other online resource I have accessed.

I am buying my first, serious, chef knife and will likely make some mistakes caring for and using it. Therefore, I’ve decided to go with the Tojiro DP knife as a happy medium between the effective-but-utilitarian Victorinox and one of the six, more expensive, knives you recommend.

Two questions: First, do you think this choice makes sense and, second, would this count as one of the hybrid-style Japanese knives I could hone as usual with a ceramic rod?

Great strategy, Nik, I approve! The Tojiro DP Gyuto (210mm) is an excellent entry-level Japanese blade. I assume you’ve read my observations and only caveat in the comment above yours. I’d much rather work with a Tojiro than a Victorinox (I have a hard time with the plastic handle). And the Tojiro should come from the factory super sharp and feel more like a “real” knife.

RE honing: Yes, Tojiro is a hybrid and you can definitely use a ceramic hone on it. Because the HRC is 60, a standard steel hone might cause it damage.

Hi KKG, thank you for the interesting and informative article. I’ve just started to work in a professional kitchen in Oxford, England, and was looking to invest in a few good, quality knives. Many of the chefs I work with recommend Victorinox as a brand of good quality, but very affordable (although Shun, Wusthof and F. Dick are popular among the flashier chefs). Any opinion on Victorinox?

While you certainly have the right to your own opinion, for the record:

I don’t, and wouldn’t, recommend a single knife I wouldn’t want to own myself. As a matter of fact, I personally own four out of the six knives reviewed on this page and am looking forward to the time when I can afford to buy the other two. If that isn’t “authentic” enough, then I’m sorry I’ve failed you :)

I have been through a lot of knives in my career, but the day I bought my Kai Shun Classic I instantly fell in love. It got dropped just after Christmas by another chef admiring her taking the tip off! It’s still as sharp as ever and I got the tip fixed.

Since first reading this blog, I bought a set of Wushtof to back up the Shun. But being addicted to knives, I just bought some Hiromoto from Japan. My Kai Shun hasn’t been out of my case since—though she will be soon for a good sharpening!!

For home use, stay cheap. I recommend Victorinox until your skills become better—then shop around and feel the knives.

Thanks much for your tales from the trenches! It’s good to warn less experienced cooks that they cannot treat a Japanese knife with the same casualness as a German blade. That harder, but brittler, Japanese steel demands more TLC.

Hi KKG,
I am a novice cook in pursuit of a set of quality knives. What is your general opinion about F.Dick kitchen knives (Premier Plus line)? I’ve read all your replies and you have mentioned F.Dick couple of times, but without further explanation.

F. Dick is, no doubt, one of the premier German knife makers. The original company was founded in 1778 and, like Wusthof, it is still family owned and operated. F. Dick knives are known and used by professionals, but in the U.S. their marketing is limited and most American home cooks are not aware of them.

The Premier Plus line, their most well-known and longest running high-quality line for chefs, uses the same steel as Wusthof and prides itself on the same rigorous manufacturing and quality control. My sense is that the Premier Plus is comparable in quality and design to Wusthof’s Classic line and sells for around the same price. (Note: F. Dick’s standard chef is 8 1/2 inches—you get an extra 1/2 inch!)

I have not held a Premier Plus chef knife in my hands, so I cannot vouch for it personally. But my impression is that the feel and fit and finish are top-notch and if you treat it well, it will last you for decades.

Sorry I couldn’t include F. Dick knives on the above list. . .too many knives, not enough time. For those interested in shopping, here’s a link:

There is no need to apologize for anything. Here, where I come from (Eastern Europe), F. Dick is much more available than any other brand of quality knife (if any other is available at all) and this is the main reason I asked for your opinion. Your site is probably the most informative among dozens of others I have found and I really appreciate your opinion.

I’m wondering if you can help me with choosing the right knife. I’m looking for a gift for my father who is quite picky. He wants something so that his hand doesn’t hit the cutting board, will allow him to slice things like veggies simply and could also work well as a general-purpose knife. What would you suggest? I’m looking at the Messermeister Meridian Elite 9-Inch Chef Knife but unsure if it’s the correct choice (and where to purchase in Canada!)

Buying a chef knife for a finicky cook is a very risky endeavor. It’s hard enough if they’re standing at a counter and testing a number of them out themselves. But to do it for someone, when they have not even had the chance to get a feel for the knife themselves, could end up pretty hit and miss. Your choice might work for them, it might not.

That said, if what we’re talking about is pure knuckle clearance, the Messermeister should be decent and it’s a lovely knife. But so should the Henckels, MAC, and Global. Actually, the MAC and Global should give you the most knuckle clearance. And all of these could work well as an all-around kitchen knife. But please be aware that both the MAC and Global are Japanese steel and cannot withstand the rough handling that these other German knives can take.

Also. . .the 9-inch Messermeister is slightly longer than your average home chef knife. It’s great for slicing through melons, and chopping up a large onion, but some cooks might find it too cumbersome.

As far as the hollow edge (the divots) is concerned, it helps release food from the blade if you push or pull cut. Otherwise, it’s my understanding, it doesn’t have much impact on regular chopping and slicing. It’s no biggie, either way, and I wouldn’t pay extra for it. Also, depending how close to the edge the divots go, it might, eventually, limit the life of the knife. As the blade wears down through sharpening, the exposed divots will make the edge jagged and uneven. (This could take quite a while to happen, of course.)

Sorry I can’t offer you more definitive answers. But, oh, here’s another idea. . .you could buy an extra-wide blade, which would by nature keep his knuckles higher off the board. Wusthof makes them, which I cover in my article on Wusthof knives, but here’s a link to Amazon:

I researched the Wusthof Classic 8” and read the article you linked, and I think that is the one I will be going with. They seem to be made to last! I found out this evening that my father had originally wanted a cleaver (?) knife, but upon reading up about them, realized he’d never use it! We don’t hunt and rarely cut large portions of bone-in meat, so it seems a waste.

On another note, what would be your recommendation for a cover for the Classic? I looked at the Wusthof ones (they look like a sleeve and appear to be made of material similar to a wet suit), but they do not get good reviews when it comes to travel, and this knife would be going back and fourth our country home with my father quite frequently. Would this one work? Would I be best going with the 6-8” one, or the 8-10”?

Glad I could help out, Angela! But to clarify, you mean you’re going with the Wusthof Classic Wide chef knife, right? If so, then I think the 6-8″ size should work, but I couldn’t guarantee it. We’re getting into subtleties here that are hard to guesstimate.

On another note, I’d like to mention that there two types of cleaver out there: 1) a meat cleaver and 2) a vegetable cleaver. A meat cleaver is the most standard, traditional type we think of and what your father researched. It’s very heavy and thick and is meant for hacking through animal parts. A vegetable cleaver is much lighter and thinner and not meant for bones, but for slicing and chopping vegetables. An example of this type would be Wusthof’s nakiri which I cover in that same Wusthof knives article I mentioned above under Japanese-Style Knives.

I have a question about a different topic — electric knife sharpeners. We own an older Three Stage Chef’s Choice Diamond Hone sharpener, Model 100. And when we used it on our Henckels Four Star Twin knives it created a notch a few centimeters from the bolster. We use the sharpener according to the directions given and drag the knife towards us starting at the base and tip last. Do you think we are doing something wrong, or is there something defective with the sharpener? It is especially bad on shorter knives, like a 3″ paring knife.

We just acquired some new Henckels and do not want to put notches in them again! Would appreciate any advice you can give us. Thanks!

What you’ve come across is a common problem with Chef’s Choice power sharpeners and why I have never recommended them. It is not a defect, but a design flaw that will affect every knife with a bolster. Another major reason I don’t like Chef’s Choice is that they tend to grind off too much metal. A few years ago, when I was trying to find a suitable solution for keeping my kitchen knives sharp, I actually bought a Chef’s Choice, tried it out, and returned it because I was so unsatisfied. However, if you are absolutely sold on this type of solution to keeping your knives sharp, I would recommend buying a Master Grade sharpener, rather than a Chef’s Choice. The sharpening wheels they use have more give and will not rub off as much metal.

Buuuut, before you go any further, I would rather you read a slough of articles I’ve written about sharpening in general and about my favorite solution to sharpening — using a top-quality professional sharpening service combined with honing regularly (to maintain the edge). I have a Henckels Pro S chef knife I sent to one of my favorite sharpening services over three years ago and I bet it is still sharper than 90 percent of knives in home kitchens across the USA. Check out the video: The Power of Honing a Knife.

Thanks so much for your advice! We will not be using the Chef’s Choice and will consider a professional sharpening service as suggested on your website. At least now we know we were not the problem and can avoid future mishaps.

I will follow your advice on using the honing steel as well. We have a metal one that came with the Henckels set over 25 years ago. We did not think it made much difference in keeping the knives sharp, but will try a ceramic one like yours instead. Thanks again for your prompt response!

Holy moly, this comment section has been going on forever in internet years.

Anyway, years ago when my wife and I got married, one of our guests worked at a kitchen store and apparently got a hell of a discount on a set of five Shun classics, topped off with a Shun Ken Onion. I would have never bought knives that nice. I love those knives. They almost sound like plastic when they whack against something.

It’s also nice that we live ten miles from the Kershaw factory and have them all sharpened for free…

You’re one lucky boy to have started off your family life with a set of Shun knives. Sounds like you enjoy cooking and know how to treat fine tools with care. . .so, you deserve them! My Shun 6-inch chef knife has now officially become my wife’s go-to blade :)

After reading this post, you seem like the right guy to ask. I am looking into moving towards the professional chef world and want to buy myself some top quality knives. I started out using the Robert Welch range and they did well for the first 4 years but now their maintenance/sharpitude and grip is starting to get a little annoying. I take pride in caring for and honing my knives and after reading this wondered if you had any advice on what to go for?

Thanks a lot.

P.S. I’m on the fence when it comes to German vs. Japanese knives, not sure which to go for…

I have never heard of Robert Welch knives. But from a quick perusal of their website, I’m pretty sure that most, if not all, the knives in the article above would offer a noticeable improvement in performance (i.e. taking and holding an edge).

As you must be aware, there are a lot of quality knives out there and a lot of different tastes, and needs, in kitchen knives. For every brand of knife I’ve covered in the article above, there is a professional chef that swears by it. So, there is no single, right answer.

1) That said, if pure sharpness is your god, your best bet would probably be the MAC:

2) Whatever knife you ending up buying, it may, or may not, come from the factory at it’s full sharpness potential. Have no fear. Whenever it reaches the time it definitely needs to be sharpened, send it out to Seattle Knife Sharpening. They are the finest sharpening service I know. And 99.9 percent of the time, they will easily improve on the factory edge.

3) Also, please check out my articles on honing to make sure your doing it the right, or best, way. And make sure to use a ceramic hone. This will help with keeping those edges extra sharp.

If you follow these steps, I guarantee you will have kitchen knives that are really sharp!

For more help on this process of finding the best knife for you, you also should check out How to Buy a Great Chef Knife. And if you poke around the KKG site more, you will find other articles that will increase your knowledge and help you with keeping your knives sharp.

Hi,
Thanks for this awesome post. I’m looking to buy my wife a small set (2-5) of very good knives. She cuts all kinds of stuff in the kitchen, but I guess it comes down to vegetables (lots), chicken on and off the bone (also quite a bit), and red meat (generally off the bone).

I was just going to get a “good chefs knife” until I saw that not all knives are meant to cut through everything. I generally like the German heavy knives, but I’m happy with a sleek Japanese one if that’s the way to go.

Thanks so much for the insight, much appreciated. Great blog and really informative, was just the place I was looking for! I’m all the way in South Africa, so not sure where I could find my nearest sharpening service. But nothing a quick google can’t fix.

There’s just one more thing I would like to clarify with regards to German vs. Japanese. Would you say, from what I understand, Japanese is more for dicing and delicate cutting tasks and German knives more for the rough chopping, filleting, and carving? (With the appropriate style of knife, of course.)

2) Both German and Japanese knives can pretty much do all the tasks you’ve described. (Although if you’re slicing up raw fish for sushi, you’d do best to use Japanese.) As a general rule, because of the steel and how it’s heat treated, Japanese knives can take a sharper edge and hold it longer. But you pay a price for this. The steel is also more brittle (and thinner) and can get seriously damaged more easily. With a German knife, if you hit a bone while filleting, it will simply flatten out the edge or, worse case, dent it slightly. With a Japanese knife, you could chip or crack it. Yes, really.

So, deciding between German or Japanese has basically to do with two questions:
1) How fricking sharp do you need, or want, your knives to be?
2) How careful do you want to have to be with them?

And, remember, if you like the idea of exploring, then there’s no good reason not to try one Japanese knife and see if you like it. You can mix it up :)

First, the types of knives you should buy. I would recommend definitely buying four knives:
– 8-inch chef’s knife: for slicing and chopping and most everything else; you could even buy her a 9-incher, if you thought she would appreciate it and not be intimidated
– 3 1/2 inch paring knife: for finer slicing and peeling
– 5- to 6-inch boning knife (not fillet knife, which will be too thin and is more for fish): for slicing any meat on the bone and off; this could include turkey legs
– 8- or 9-inch bread knife (serrated)

If you already own a serrated bread knife you’re happy with, then it could only three knives. And if you wanted to splurge, you could add on a 6- to 7-inch santoku — which may, in the end, be her go-to blade. Home cooks often gravitate toward santokus because they’re not quite as long and cumbersome as a chef knives, but still have a wide blade.

BUUUUUUUT. . .it’s tricky buying knives for others without their feedback. Please read my article How to Buy a Great Chef Knife. And please read my recent reply above (to Rich from South Africa) about German vs. Japanese. If your wife has smaller, more delicate hands, she might really appreciate Shun or Global. They’re sharp and light. But she must be more CAREFUL with them than with a German knife.

1) No, a boning knife is NOT for cutting through bone, but around bone. Powering through bone will destroy the edge. If you want to cut through bone, you should use a cleaver (pretty cumbersome and only for serious cooks) or a pair of kitchen shears (a simpler, more elegant, solution). If you look further up on this comment thread, you can find my recommendations for these items :)

2) Yes, a santoku and a chef knife are both designed for the same thing—as all-around kitchen knives ideal for chopping and slicing up most vegetables and meats. Buuuut, they are different, and many cooks have a preference. Much of the time I use both pretty interchangeably. If you compare them visually though, you’ll notice that a chef knife has a pointy tip while most santokus do not. You’ll also notice that most santokus have a wider/broader blade. If your wife cooks regularly, she would probably appreciate having both. (Yes, I know more moula.) But, remember, a quality knife, if you treat it right (and this is crucial), can last 20 years or more.

3) Cutco’s fine for a serrated bread knife. It’s the least important of the “core three” and the serrated edge will rarely, if ever, be sharpened.

1. Thank you for your advice about shopping for my wife! We went to a store to try some out and while I much preferred the handles on the Shuns and the Wusthof Ikons (nice and big), she really liked the smaller handle on the Wusthof Classic and the size and feel of the 7″ Santoku – you were right (“home chefs like santokus”). So we’ll start our “professional” knife collection with that one for now!

2. Cutting Boards: While I love the look and feel of end-grain boards, a big one is quite pricey, and we wanted a pretty large one. So I ended up with a Boos 24×18 maple edge grain board. Will that still last long and be good to the knife, or do I really need an end-grain board? Do you have recommended care instructions (oil, oil and wax, just wax, frequency, washing, soap)?

3. Honing: I know you recommend ceramic honing, but doesn’t that sharpen the knife not just re-align the blade? Is it bad to use a BAD hone (like the one from my Cuisinart knife block—not fancy) on a good blade?

BTW, there’s a handy-dandy search field you can use to find topics on the KKG site at the bottom of every page, in the page footer. I use it all the time—for example I just used it to find the posts I’m referring to above.

– Yes, a ceramic hone will not only realign, but clean/sharpen slightly. But if the ceramic is fine-grained, which is imperative, the sharpening is minimal and the cleaning a plus. You might be able to get away with your Cuisinart hone, it depends on how crude or smooth it is. But a ceramic hone will be worth the extra money because it will keep your edges sharper for a longer time (see My Favorite Honing Steels). There are plenty of ceramic hones to choose from and some that will hold up better than my recommended hones. But, whatever you buy, please make sure it’s got a fine grain designed primarily for honing, not sharpening.

Cutco knives are the best knives in the world, hands down. They last forever and if they need to be fixed or replaced its free. I have had my set for 50+ yrs. Best investment I have ever made. Just got 4 new knives for free from them when I sent them in to get sharpened!

I am trying to help my Dad decide what gift to get my Mom for Christmas. While I would love to have him get her a complete knife set, there is no way that is in the budget. What do you recommend that would be good for someone who is not quite as careful with knives as she should be, has arthritis, won’t spend the time for as much maintenance honing, and won’t break my Dad’s bank?

I have a Wusthof Classic Ikon 6″ hollow-edge chef’s knife and 3 1/2″ paring knife that I use for house sitting and keep in my “mobile kitchen.” When I picked them out, I chose according to how the handle felt because I have MS. Dad will not want to spend as much as I did for each knife.

2) Go to Wusthof Knives. . ., at the end of the article where I discuss knife sets. I begin with 2-piece sets and one of the best for her might be the Wusthof Classic 2-Piece Asian Santoku and Paring Knife Set. She might prefer a smaller, nimbler santoku knife over a standard 8-inch chef knife.

Ooooor. . .in a totally different direction, buy her a ceramic knife set like the one I mention in my article on Knife Edges 101. A set by Kyocera appears near the end of the article. Ceramic knives are very sharp and don’t need much upkeep. But you can’t drop them or be too rough with them because they are brittle and will crack and break.

Remember, her new knives will NOT stay sharp for long if she chops on hard materials, etc. So try to educate her with the Top Ten Tips :)

Best of luck and please feel free to check back if you need more info or tips!
KKG

Sorry, but I’m not a fan of Gunter Wilhelm knives. Here’s some feedback about Gunter Wilhelm I gave to another reader a while back (I have cut and pasted it from one of the comments in my About Us page):

I investigated Gunter Wilhelm myself a few years back and in revisiting their website noticed they’ve ramped up quite a bit and have further enriched their story. While the handle and ergonomics appear well thought out and GW might make very comfortable-feeling knives, my reservations still regard the quality of their blades and their ability to take, and hold, a fine edge. This is the core of a high-quality knife — not just how it looks or feels.

Gunter Wilhelm (just a cool German name a Jersey guy decided to name his knife company after) has always been excellent at marketing and hype—but I’m not convinced they’ve put that same excellence to work in the actual manufacturing of their knives. Over the years, their manufacturing story keeps changing and I must admit I don’t totally trust them. For example, I had a heck of time on their website trying to find out two basic facts about their knife blades: 1) what hardness was the steel tempered to (known as HRC), or 2) at what angle were they sharpened. Never found either. And there’s something weird in the positive spin their marketing copy tries put on the fact their knives are “finished” in China? When did China become one of the knife making capitals of the world?

I have not personally used a GW knife and I have read some positive reports. So, who knows, they may be quite respectable. Nonetheless, when it comes to sharpitude and edge retention, I think there are more dependable choices out there with better track records. I would recommend starting with something from the above Best Chef Knives list.

I asked because there is a new made-in-Germany line at Costco. I have to admit, I liked it. They say a Metropolitan report has beat Henckels and Wusthof knives for years. Something about a certification and another thing about hardness and. . .a bunch of things. I bought them, but then again it was Costco and the price was about right. I can’t complain. Do you know about the new line?

What I know about Gunter Wilhelm is that they are quite talented at marketing. They have some serious money and expertise driving their marketing machine. Out of curiosity, I watched two of their videos and was charmed and impressed. The quality, professionalism, and pure fun of the videos was quite compelling. BUUUUUUUUUUT. . .do NOT be fooled.

You might ask: Well if it’s German steel why does it matter where it’s made?

I would answer: Well, starting off with German steel is good. But it takes more than good steel to make a quality kitchen knife. It takes sophisticated heat-treating AND serious quality control as well. The knife manufacturers in Solingen, Germany and Seiki, Japan have been making knives for centuries. This is where Wusthof and the majority of Henckels knives are made. But Gunter Wilhelm’s knives are made in some nameless city in China. This matters to me and it should matter to the consumer. Hey, maybe China has quickly developed some expertise in knife-making. If so, good for them. But the odds are slim. And if this is true, why isn’t GW talking about it. GW doesn’t even do the most basic thing and tell you the hardness of their knives. Why? Probably because they can’t guarantee a hardness number because there’s not that much rigorous control in the factory.

Listen. . .I’m not trying to be a spoil-sport, but I don’t appreciate companies that pretend to be one thing when they’re something else. That’s cheating. I have a Calphalon santoku that’s made in China that I love. I think it feels better than any knife in my kitchen. I got it sharpened by one of the best knife sharpeners I know of (Seattle Knife Sharpening), I hone it regularly, and it is pure pleasure to slice with. But I knew exactly what I was buying when I bought it.

Enjoy your Gunter Wilhelm! But be clear about what you’ve got. And let us know how the edges hold up — I’d be really curious.

Ok. I think you have the ones online. Mine look different. I don’t know how to post a pic. I am here talking to the sales guy. 16 degree and 59.6 hardness. I don’t have a clue what that means but regardless he says that these are fully made in Solingen, in the Tyson Krupp (spelling?) factory (again, meaningless to me). It seems to do ok, I have only had them one day, but I enjoyed using them last night.

Sorry, but I still don’t trust the quality. (That’s nice that he had some facts and figures though.) Check out the 1-star reviews on Amazon (see below). You would never find a knife from Wusthof or Henckels doing what these customers describe:

I poked around the GW website and finally found some more info. There are two lines, the ProCut and the Executive Chef. The ProCut claims to be made in Germany and the Executive Chef does not. Supposedly, the Executive series is hardened to 57-58 HRC which is standard for Germany steel/knives, but they don’t say the HRC of the ProCut. Odd. And it looks like all knives are sharpened at a 20-22 degree angle which is not that sharp for nowadays. (Wusthof sharpens their blades at 14 degrees.) GW’s approach to marketing still seems rather fuzzy to me :)

Bottom line. . .use them, but don’t push them too hard. You don’t want the blades to crack or break on you. See how the sharpitude holds up and check in with KKG at a later date and let us know.

Hi there. Very informative article as I am looking to buy my boyfriend a chef’s knife for Christmas. I recall him mentioning Japanese blades and see that you mention the MAC is a good choice. I just want to make sure I’m getting him something that will last him a while with minimal damage. He works at a gourmet pizza establishment that also offers other dishes so I want it to be multi-purpose. Do you recommend going for the MAC or do I go another route? Or should I get him that one and another that can take more of a beating? LOL hard decision for me to make since I don’t know much about the kitchen. Thanks in advance for the help.

1) If your boyfriend is a pro, then a Japanese blade is good way to go. And the MAC model mentioned in my article above, would be hard to beat and a terrific value. Yes, there are plenty of other flashier brands around, but MAC is still a high-performance bench mark.

2) Getting a second, more rough-and-tumble blade, might be a good way to go and it’s something I’ve recommended before to other gift getters. Although it wouldn’t be unusual for him to use a MAC in the workplace. It would depend on what the kitchen he works in is like, his attitude about knives, etc, etc. Hard to guess from a distance.

3) If he’s serious about food and preparing it—which it sounds like your boyfriend is—he really can’t have too many chef knives. If they are quality knives, they can be fun to use in rotation and it’s always great to have back-up.

4) A good rough-and-tumble knife might be the Messermeister recommended in the above article. The German steel is tougher than Japanese, a 9-inch blade will give him more heft, and Messermeisters tend to come from the factory pretty darn sharp.

5) If you wanted to go up a notch and maybe only get him one, gorgeous Japanese knife, please check out my recent post Quality Kitchen Knives on Sale. Either the Kramer Meiji or the Miyabi Birchwood would knock his socks off. Buuuut, either one of these knives, he would probably want to keep at home :)

Happy shopping! If you have any more questions, please feel free to ask!

No, I’ve never heard of the Cangshan chef knife and you have good reason to be wary. I don’t believe their claim that it’s made in Japan. And I don’t believe the authenticity of their “reviews.” Most of the reviews are short and very general — like friends just doing their duty. And they are ALL 5 stars!!

“First, the Warning: There is NO FREE LUNCH. If you find a brand of knife that’s trumpeting it’s specialness, but is significantly cheaper than name-brand models of similar size and design, let the buyer beware. It’s not humanly possible. . . . You get what you pay for. And high-quality, high-performance steel never comes cheap.”

If you want a very sharp, but authentic, Japanese knife for a great price, buy the Tojiro DP — which I discuss in these very comments on July 9th, 2015 (further up the page). The Tojiro is only $50 and it is a known quantity :)

I’d have to say that your opinion on these knives is just what I needed. I’ve been studying in a culinary school for about 6 months now and I’d have to say that cutting veg all day with a Wushthof is tiring. I’ve been searching for a lighter knife and it seems the Shun Premier might be the right one for me. Although, I have to say, I’m kind of afraid of breaking it as it seems to need a bit more care than my current knife. I’ve also seen good comments about Miyabi, but I haven’t really seen a shop that has them here in Sydney. And I was wondering if you knew if Miyabi knives were as light as Shun? Or are there any other knives that are as good and light as Shun, but keep their sharpness longer and are more durable?

1) Sounds like you definitely need a Japanese knife—thinner, lighter, with harder steel.

2) Both the Shun Premier and the Miyabi could work for you, but they are a little dressy for a kitchen.

3) If it were me, I would buy the MAC MTH-80—featured in the article above. Period. It’s wicked sharp, designed for chefs, and won’t break the bank. Or. . .if you needed to save money, you could do the Tojiro DP. The Tojiro would not be as nicely finished, but still do the job.

4) There are lots and lots of other excellent Japanese knives out there, but trying out these two would get you started and give you a noticeable relief from the Wusthof.

6) If you buy a Japanese knife, your best bet for sharpening (and touch-up) would be a waterstone. And if you still wanted to hone for maintenance (versus using your waterstone), please make sure to only use a ceramic hone. Otherwise, you risk damaging the edge of the blade which is much harder steel than your Wusthof.

Sorry to be killjoy, but I’m not really up on super high-end knives. We’re talking knives costing $1,000 and up. I don’t have much time or inclination for fantasy—in my life or on my reading list. I’d probably have to spend a couple of days researching just to narrow it down :)

But, for fun, off the top of my head, my first impulse would be to sign up for the lottery for a Bob Kramer custom or ready-made knife. It would be a thrill to own, and chop onions with, an original Kramer. Of course, it probably would be difficult to make myself use it knowing how much it was worth :)

Oh, and then there’s Murray Carter. . .it would be cool to own a high-end Carter as well. And then there are all those Japanese high-end, handmade knives, and American custom makers as well and, and. . .

How about you? Something tells me you have thought about this more than I have :)

I should have asked the question differently, a little background. . .

Been married 25 years and do all the cooking—breakfast, lunch, and dinner!!! She does all the cleaning. I have been using Cutco for the past 5 years, before that I’m ashamed to say, lol. I’m 61 and my wife asked me what I wanted for Christmas. I was at a friend’s house and his chef was using a MAC MTH 80. After a long discussion about kitchen knives, I went home and started researching best chef knives and came to your blog. Very very informative, may I say. I was about to purchase the Shun Blue Kiritsuke and I see a brand name pop up, Bob Kramer stainless Damascus!

With that said, which of these two knives would you prefer. Also, have been reading your blogs and see your comments on sharpening and honing. I grew up using a whetstone to sharpen my pocket knives, so know enough to get myself in trouble with one. What would be your thought on the care of each of the mentioned sets? Again, your blog has been a wonderful read for information !!!

(BTW, are you sure you mean the Kramer Stainless Damascus which costs over twice as much as the Shun Kiritsuke. Kramer makes another stainless knife called the Kramer Essential which is almost half the price of the Damascus.)

2) I don’t think there ever is one, ultimate knife. Either of the two knives you mention would be a fantastic knife to work with in the kitchen. They will both come with a very sharp edge and be able to retain it.

That said, here are some comparisons :
– The Shun has a carbon steel core while the Kramer has a micro carbide steel core. Because of the amount of carbon in the Shun core, the steel on the cutting edge will 1) be more prone to rust and 2) develop a patina. Rust is no biggie, as long as you wipe the blade clean of water after you use it. The Kramer you won’t have to be as careful with regarding rust because the steel it’s made of is more resistant, very close to stainless.

– They are both tempered to Japanese steel standards—the Shun to 61HRC and the Kramer to 63HRC. The Kramer is harder, so it should hold it’s edge longer. But they’re both pretty hard. I’m guessing that the Kramer might be tougher and less prone to chip. (That’s a problem with harder steels, but the micro carbide structure might help protect against this more.)

– With the Kramer, you are paying extra for the gorgeous Damascus pattern. The Damascus pattern is mainly for looks and protection of the core steel. But it shouldn’t make it cut any better. As a matter of fact, one customer who bought the Kramer Damascus complained on the Sur La Table site that the pattern dragged the blade down and made it harder to slice through some things. That seems odd to me, so I’m not sure how much weight to put in that.

– I haven’t held either of these knives, so I’m doing some educated guessing—but these knives will have different feels. I’m betting the Kramer is a bit heavier than the Shun and I’m pretty sure the base of the blade is broader. The broader blade will give you more knuckle clearance with the Kramer. So, if you have large hands, you might appreciate that. Kramer is famous for having hefty, comfortable handles, but the Shun looks like a pretty substantial handle as well.

Conclusion:
– You can’t go too wrong with either of these knives, but you’re paying a premium for the Damascus pattern with the Kramer. And spending $375 on a knife, opens up the playing field quite a bit.

– Three other suggestions:
1) the Kramer Meiji which has been on sale at Sur La Table. It’s the same blade construction as the regular Damascus (but they’re currently out of stock of the 8-inch chef). Perhaps this was the knife you were referring to in the first place.
2) the Miyabi Birchwood: One of the most beautiful knives I know of and deadly sharp (currently on sale at Sur La Table).
3) If looks aren’t that important to you, you might want to take another look at the MAC MTH 80. I’m not sure why you crossed it off in the first place.

RE maintenance: Any of the above knives, you can, and should, hone regularly with a ceramic hone. When it comes time for sharpening, please read my article(s) on sharpening services under the “Sharpeners” tab on KKG.

I’m an enthusiastic home cook (not necessarily skilful!) and have been using Sabatier knives for about 20 years. They dull with relative ease and I use brute force and ignorance to will them back to performance. I want a set of quality knives for the kitchen which will replace the Sabatiers.

I’m going to further explore the resources on your site to deal with the brute force and ignorance problem, but the question I have is about knife blocks as storage. Are there any sharpitude issues to consider when looking at the knife block? Is wood OK? Is magnetic the best? Is there any reason to restrict myself to the manufacturer’s block? The Sabatiers just go in a drawer and get bashed about pretty badly.

Welcome to KKG and I’m glad you plan to take advantage of the whole enchilada! You will love having sharp knives all the time.

RE Sabatier: First off, in case you’re curious, Sabatier is an odd brand—because no single company owns the brand name. Can you believe it? There are at least a couple of authentic, high-quality French knife makers that sell under that brand, but you must make sure which Sabatier you are buying from or you may not be getting high quality. I own a Sabatier 9-inch slicer I use for turkey, etc. that I bought years ago before at this KKG stuff. I got it sharpened a couple of years ago by my favorite professional sharpener, Seattle Knives, and the edge has held up very well so far. But it gets light usage, nothing like a chef knife. So who knows what kind of Sabatier I have. . .

RE knife storage: I do NOT recommend the standard magnetic knife blocks where the metal of the magnet clicks up against the blade. The problem is two-fold: 1) It’s very hard to gently load, or unload, the knife without pressing the fine, sharpened cutting edge of your knife against the metal magnet, and thus slightly denting the cutting edge. Over and over, all day long. And, 2) storing the knife edge against the metal magnet can also cause denting. On the other hand, magnetic racks that cover the the magnet with wood, or some other softer, more forgiving surface, are fine and probably one of the best solutions to knife storage.

The other two storage solutions I recommend would be the standard knife block and a wooden rack inside of a drawer (I use knife blocks). Yes, with a block you should take care not to jam the cutting edge against the side of the slot every time you store it or take it out. But, if you do what I do, and always use the spine of the knife as your guide, not the edge, then there should be no problem. And, no, you don’t need to restrict yourself to the knife manufacturer’s brand. But you should take care that the slots match your knives (in width and length)!

Please DO NOT let your knives bang around in a drawer! You’re allowing the edges to get all dinged up and dulled. And please study up using the resources of this site BEFORE you buy—that way you’ll be ready to properly care for your new knives. You can start with the Top Ten Tips :)

I appreciate the reply. Thanks. I am aware of the somewhat unreliable provenance of the Sabatier brand. Mine’ve been ok though, despite my rough handling. But I know I can do a lot better.

Thanks for the advice which I will certainly consider while making my decision re knife block.

I will not let my new knives bang around in a drawer
I will not let my new knives bang around in a drawer
I will not let my new knives bang around in a drawer
I will not let my new knives bang around in a drawer

I think you’re basically asking three questions which I will restate and then give you some feedback on:

1) What’s the correct fluid to use when sharpening with a whetstone?

– My understanding is that any kind of oil—either plant-based, or petroleum based—is a no-no. That includes mineral oil which I used to use when I tried sharpening my own knives way back when. It was a disaster and gummed up the stone and made unusable.

– Water is OK.

– But, my understanding is that Honing Oil is best. I found a product called Smith’s (Advanced Formula) Honing Oil which is specifically designed for sharpening stones and works perfectly. My plastic bottle of Smith’s, which I still own, doesn’t say what the product is composed of other than it’s “non-petroleum.” Here it is on Amazon (there are others as well):Smith’s HON1-4OZ Honing Solution, 4-Ounce

3) Are Chicago Cutlery knives adequate for the kitchen?
Although Chicago Cutlery is a big name, I do not recommend them. (Although I do happen to own a CC hand-me-down boning knife that I use on ribs so I won’t bang up my good one.) Why? The main reason is that Chicago Cutlery knives are not made of a high-quality tempered steel and thus, will not stay sharp nearly as long as any of the knives in the above article. If you like to cook, please do yourself a favor and 1) buy yourself a knife of the caliber of the ones above, 2) treat it correctly (Top Ten Tips) and 3) hone it regularly with a ceramic hone. You will never regret it :)

Forgive me in advance for being long-winded, but you have a penchant to be thorough, so I am taking the liberty of being thorough with the background of my question to take advantage of your willingness to give thoughtful, thorough responses.

I use my knives strictly as an amateur cook sharing kitchen duties with my wife, but enjoy good tools for whatever I undertake. We have a minimal, well worn (dare I say abused) set of Wusthof Classic knives with beautiful white handles. The set consists of a 6″ chef’s, 8″ bread knife and 8″ slicing knife (with matching fork). I find the knives to be extremely comfortable and well balanced. In addition, we have a revolving collection of cheapo utility knives. Although the cheapos are relegated to the drawer (heaven help them), the Wusthtofs are always parked in the wooden knife block acquired with the knives. Notwithstanding that caution, the knives have suffered grave indignities at the hands of housekeepers and, worst of all, a butcher of a knife sharpener my wife took them to. I have been longing for, but resisted purchasing new knives, not wanting to subject new, expensive knives to the same fate. That restraint has not kept me from looking, looking led me to this discussion and, near the very end, your exchange with Bruce and the mention of beautiful knives compelled me to jump in and seek your advice (and, I might mention, based on images available on Sur La Table, I thought the Kramer Meifi chef’s knife to be the more beautiful of the trio you reference in your response to Bruce).

About 8 months ago, on vacation, my wife and I wandered into what was primarily a women’s accessory shop, and, while she looked around at very expensive clothing, jewelry and accessories, a case of kitchen knives caught my eye. The knives, designed by Sarah Wiener for Hugo Pott, were, to my taste, truly beautiful and, like my battered Wusthofs, very comfortable to hold. I hesitated buying any then because recoiling from the prospect of subjecting such beautiful and expensive tools to the abuse suffered by the Wusthofs – and because I knew nothing of their quality and value. I have since periodically resisted the prospect of purchasing new knives as evidenced by my having found myself reading through the entirely of this discussion.

With that background, I would appreciate your thoughts on the aesthetics, quality, and value of Pott Sarah Wiener knives. Thanks in advance for your advice.

1) RE: Pott Sarah Wiener knives. I had never heard of them before so I did a little research. Here’s my take:

Pros
– They are beautifully designed and unusual. They would be fun to show off.
– Great balance and feel. This is a personal thing, but the fact that you have handled them and like them is a big plus. (In my opinion, there’s always something special about an actual wooden handle where you can subtly feel the grain.)
– They are made in Solingen, Germany one of the knife capitals of the world. C. Hugo Pott, the manufacturer, has been around for a century and has a name in cutlery. (Don’t know if you saw my recent post: Solingen, Germany—Wusthof Factory Tour.)
– They are hand-forged and hand-honed. So, they’re not only made in a city famous for its knife-making prowess, but there are humans involved in many of the important steps. This is high-quality manufacturing and they should come out of the box pretty darn sharp. Which is nice, but not an absolute necessity if you have access to an expert professional sharpening service. Which you do (see Reviews of Professional Sharpening Services).

Cons
– My one big reservation is the hardness rating of the steel—which I had to hunt around a bit to find out, but finally found it here Fitzsu. According to Fitzsu these knives have a Rockwell rating of 56 which is rather low and it’s mystifying why.

Softer steel can be tougher and will take more abuse, but needs to be sharpened more often. Harder steel will keep its edge longer, but because it’s more brittle, it can’t take as much abuse without cracking or chipping. Traditionally, German knives and steel have lower HRCs and Japanese have higher. For example: Wusthof and Henckels harden their steel to Rockwell 58 (and that is as low as I would like to go). Shun and Global harden their knives from 60 to 62 HRC. But these knives are 56 HRC. Odd and a rather big negative in my book. Somebody from Potts would have to explain to me why they chose this hardness for me to change my mind.

2) At a price point of $300 for an 8-inch Pott Sarah Weiner chef knife, I would not be in a huge hurry to buy. There are quite a few handsome and well-performing knives out there to choose from at that price. For example: I’m curious why you didn’t find the Kramer Meiji or the Miyabi Birchwood serious options. (Perhaps it’s because you know you need knives that can take some abuse.) At any rate, there are other knives I could suggest as well. Let me know. I would also continue to get more educated about kitchen knives in general, it will help you in your decision. Suggested reading if you haven’t read already:How to Buy a Great Chef KnifeKnife Edges 101

3) Just as, or maybe even more, important than the exact knife you buy, is having a plan as to how you will keep it sharp. Please do yourself a big favor and come up with a plan. See my articles under the “Sharpeners” tab: Why Use a Professional Sharpening Service?, etc.

Well, I’m taking the plunge and getting the MAC MTH-80, along with their ceramic hone and their matched paring/utility knife. If I love them, I’ll take all the credit with my wife, and if I hate them, I’m blaming you. Fair deal? :-)

Actually, I’m looking forward to trying them. I’ve always been a German knife guy myself (just a passionate amateur chef, definitely not professional), but since my old Wusthofs (purchased 18 years ago) have finally reached the point that the knife sharpening service told me they wouldn’t do it again the last time, it’s time to get new ones. My parents gave me the Henckels 7″ Santoku for Christmas a year ago and it is nice, but right now it’s the only knife in the kitchen worth using.

Thanks for a well-written and very informational article; I’ve added your website to my Google+ Collection on food and to Evernote so I don’t forget it.

If you love to cook (which it sounds like you do), you will never regret buying your MAC knives. Funny enough, I don’t even own them (on my ever-burgeoning buy list), but I’m utterly confident in their reputation.

Two things to be aware of:

– They will be lighter than what you’re used to. Don’t let it throw you—the quality’s still there.

– Please take extra care with how you treat them. Because the Japanese steel is harder and more brittle than the German steel you’re used to, they will not stand for as much abuse. If you need a reminder, read my Top Ten Tips.

Great site! I feel like I’m calling sports radio. Long-time follower first time commenting! With that out of the way, do you have any experience with Yaxell knives? I have been trying to get some of their Super Gou knives, but I wonder if there is a significant difference between some of their other knives. I currently have a Global SAI Santoku that I LOVE and a cleaver which I love, too. I’m just getting started, so your site has been very helpful! If this were sports radio, I’d say I’ll hang on and listen. But since it’s not, I’ll wait for a response.

I had never heard of Yaxell knives. . .which doesn’t particularly surprise me because there are sooooo many great knives in the world. But I did some research and they appear to be the real deal — Japanese-made from Seki City, the home of Japanese blades for centuries.

They are similar to Shun (and many other Japanese blades for that matter) with a hard steel core wrapped in layers of softer steel. But the handles are different and some might find them more comfortable. It also appears that there might be a higher degree of quality control than Shun. . .hard to be certain.

As far as Yaxell’s different lines go, here’s a quick map from what I’ve found on Amazon, from most expensive to least (all 8-inch chef knives):

– Ran ($160): Different core steel, VG10. Not as high-performance as SG2, but very respectable. 34 layers per side. HRC 61

– Tsuchimon ($120): Same core steel as Ran, VG10. Only two outside layers that are hammered around the core VG10. HRC 61.

– Dragon ($120): No layers, more like a German knife. One single billet of nitrogen-enriched American steel (CTS-BD1N), HRC 63. Will be thicker and heavier than all the others, like a Wusthof or Henckels.

Conclusion: These are all high-quality knives that will take an excellent edge and keep it for a respectable amount of time. The Gou knives with their SG2 core (along with the Dragon) will probably keep their edges a touch longer than the Ran and Tsuchimon. But you need to be a little more careful with harder steel like HRC 63 — it can chip more easily and won’t take as much abuse. The Dragon, with it’s newly-engineered nitrogen steel, is interesting — I’d be very curious how it performs. Anyway. . .it all depends on what your specific needs and tastes are!

If I were you, I would not get stuck on just one knife brand or one model — especially in the price-range you are looking at. There are numerous to choose from and they all will be beautifully made and super-sharp. Here’s one of my favorites that has been on sale for a while (made of the same core steel as the Super Gou):

Thanks for the Miyabi recommendation! I have now managed to pick up two Yaxell Super Gou (Utility & Chef’s) knives and I must say, Wow! They look amazing, like they could be placed in a museum, and they cut just as good!

I’m just getting started with knives but I have developed a Japanese fetish! I have small hands and there’s something about these Japanese and my small hands. I do believe I’m going to pick up some of the Miyabi knives next.

How do you like the handles? I have been meaning to pick up some Victorinox (Rosewood handle) steak knives, but I’ve read many complaints about the wood smelling funny. Lastly, for these SG2 knives, what type of hone and grit would you recommend? Thanks again and keep up the fine work!

You’re welcome, Victor! And thanks for the report on your new Super Gou knives. Yaxell is now permanently on my radar :)

1) Just so you know, Miyabi makes a number of different lines (Evolution, Artisan, Kaisen, etc.). The line I recommended to you, the Birchwood line, is not only wicked sharp, but a work of art. I do not own them, but have handled them in the store and I think they feel fantastic. The Birchwood has not been overly finished, so you can still feel the texture of the grain. (And, for what it’s worth, my hands are on the smaller side as well.)

2) If you’re shopping for steak knives, you might want to check out my article on Wusthof knives. I cover a number of different sets at different price points. If you’re into natural wood, you would love the Ikon (Blackwood) with handles made from African Blackwood. But they are pricey!

3) I recommend using a ceramic hone on your Yaxell knives. Most ceramic hones will have a fine enough grit, but if you want to play it safe, use the hones I recommend. Or, if you have the time, you could take up the craft of sharpening/honing with a waterstone. (I don’t have time for a waterstone.) See these articles for more details:

I’ve sampled Victorinox, but do not own them. I think they can be great for professional kitchens because they cut well and don’t cost much (you don’t have to worry about misplacing or someone making off with it).

But they’re also made of inexpensive materials with a utilitarian design — and they look and feel like it. Thus, they’re not something I would want to see, feel, and use in my home kitchen day-to-day if I could avoid it. And I think the majority of my readers would have this point of view. That’s why I, generally, don’t recommend :)

There’s also a nakiri I found on Amazon, that’s in your size range, and would work well. Some cooks swear by their nakiris! Karaku Aogami Nakiri 165mm

Second choice: I don’t feel as confident about this manufacturer, but the knives are substantially cheaper. (Please note that it sounds like one of them does not come from the factory with a final sharp edge. You must sharpen yourself.)

Third choice: And finally, there’s the Tojiro brand, which makes some of the best inexpensive Japanese knives around — but they are not made of the steel you specified. You might want to check them out anyway. . .

From photos of the SAI (see above), the handle (Is that what you mean by “shaft”?) looks distinctly different than the regular Global. It’s more contoured and designed to fit into your hand in a more natural way. Thus, it should be easier to hold on to and more comfortable to grip. But, the overall size of the handle might not be any different than the regular Global. It’s hard to sure about the feel of a knife long distance :)

If you don’t have a store nearby that carries the SAI, I would recommend buying it from Amazon and then returning if it doesn’t suit you. As long as you’re careful with the packaging, and try to discuss with the merchant ahead of time their return policy, you should be able to do this without a problem.

Hi there, I’m ditching my old cheap knives and want to treat myself to some great ones. What knife styles should I buy for the most common of kitchen tasks? I’m happy to purchase a few, but want to buy the right knives for the right jobs.

Believe it not, you can do the majority of kitchen prep work with these three knives. But, by far, the most important is the chef/santoku which you will use 75 percent of the time.

Then, depending on your needs, you might want to add on a smaller (6-inch) chef knife, a different-sized paring knife (larger or smaller, depending on the one you’ve already bought), a slicing knife, and a fillet knife.

The slicing knife you would use for larger cuts of meat like roasts and slabs of fish, and the fillet knife you would use to nimbly cut around bones—both either with raw meat or cooked.

And, if you want your knives to stay sharp, you must buy a ceramic hone and use it regularly!

P.S. I have plenty more recommended knives in other posts/articles. If you use the Search Box in the footer section of any page, and punch in “chef knife,” you will bring up other posts with more suggestions.

First off, let me assure you I never have, and never will, give anybody on KitchenKnifeGuru my thoughts from a “selling point of view”— whatever that might mean. I’m great believer in the Golden Rule and that’s what this site is based on. Every product I write about and recommend is from the POV of what I would use in my own kitchen. Naturally, I do have my own opinions and biases, but I’m usually pretty up-front about them.

Similarities:
– very sharp
– lightweight
– thin, flexible blade
– rather utilitarian and not that attractive (i.e. inexpensive plastic handles, minimum craftsmanship—although the Kyocera may have nicer finishing than the Victorinox)
– not overly expensive

Differences:
– Victorinox made of stainless steel
– Kyocera made of ceramic
– Victorinox is tough
– Kyocera is much more fragile

The difference between steel and ceramic is a BIG DEAL when it comes to durability and toughness. The Victorinox will put up with a medium amount of abuse—things like cutting around bones, or cutting through bones, or cutting through frozen cookie dough—while the Kyocera will NOT. Because ceramic is such a hard substance, it can chip or crack if pushed to far, while the steel the Victorinox is made of can take it. And. . .if you drop the Kyocera on a tile floor, it could easily break! (This would never happen with the Victorinox.)

On the other hand, the Kyocera should be sharper than the Victorionox and should stay sharp for a much longer time. There are other subtle differences, but these are the main things.

For what it’s worth, neither of these knives would I have in my home kitchen mainly because of the utilitarian design and the lightness (and flimsiness) of the blades. Nonetheless, the Victorinox can be an excellent choice for a professional kitchen because it will perform well, but, because of it inexpensiveness, will not have to be worried about.

I’ve been a fan of the Mac brand for years. I have “upgraded” my knives over the last year to some very nice Japanese Takeda knives, but still keep a Mac chef knife at my house and cottage. At my house, the Mac sits on a magnetic rack near my sink, away from my work table. So I use it often, but not for extensive or much fine work anymore. I think anybody would be happy with the Mac knife. It’s well balanced, light and sharp, and it holds an edge well. It also sharpens easily. From some other brands mentioned and commonly liked, the Mac is a step up on performance.

The Takeda knives are a quantum leap again from the Mac. They have an edge that makes a light sabre look dull, so light that you’ll never fatigue using them. They hold an edge for a ridiculously long time. Now, sharpening them is not easy. I haven’t tried sharpening myself and have only one shop I trust with them. They’re carbon steel so they require more care than a stainless knife, be sure you’re okay with that. I find the extra care needed very minor, simply wash and dry the knives after each use, oil if you’re putting them away for a long period (i.e. months).

Last year I bought a Takeda nakiri which I thought would be a nice addition. It’s become my go-to knife. I use it for just about everything, switching to a gyotu only when I need a larger knife. I love chef knives, but the nakiri is just so useful to me, I can’t help recommending it.

One other tip that has helped me is honing on a strop instead of steel. It takes a bit of getting used to, but not much, and it does a much better job than a steel. I have always found getting the angle on a steel a bit uncertain. Phoenix Knife House makes a fantastic strop for kitchen knives and straight razors and it’s cheap. I paid way more for my razor strops and they are much smaller. I do about 10 passes on each side most days and it takes about 30 seconds. This practice is highly recommended with harder steels like the Takeda. Softer steels can go either way I believe, but I still prefer the strop.

On the Shun note, I’m not a fan. I find them overpriced. They’re a good performing knife and they are really attractive, but I don’t like their feel and I find the handles a bit slippery and awkward. It’s a personal preference and knives are very personal so everybody should see for themselves what works. I’m in Canada and shops that sell Shun really markup the prices. My hand-forged Takedas were in the same ballpark as some Shun prices, but I’m afraid there is no comparison in the quality between the two. I’m not putting Shun down for what it is — a Big Mac is nice, but not if it costs $50!

Last personal note: I hate knife blocks or putting them in drawers. I really like magnetic wall racks.

Thanks for sharing your tips and opinions! You have excellent taste. Takeda knives are hand-forged beauties that deserve their very high regard in professional chef circles. But, for my readers, lets clarify a couple of things: 1) they are made of carbon steel (NOT high-carbon stainless), and they will rust. Leave one out in puddle of tomato juice and it will discolor, or wet on the counter for an hour and it will begin to seriously oxidize (rust). 2) They are significantly thinner, and brittler, than your average German blade and they will chip and crack if abused. 3) Shun knives are not really a fair comparison to Takeda. I’m not sure what Shun knives you were comparing Takeda to, but if you go to Amazon you’ll see that your average Takeka chef-sized knife (8-inches or 200mm+) begins at $330 while a Shun Classic chef begins at $149. So we’re talking about a knife that costs twice as much as another knife—not such a useful comparison. If you step up to a Shun Blue steel, you’ll start at $230 which is still $100 less than Takeda.

The only other thing I’d mention that you may, or may not, be aware of is that magnetic wall racks—depending on their construction and the way you use them—can damage the sharpitude of your knives’ edges. If the rack is designed to allow the knife edge to actually touch the metal of the magnet, you can slightly ding the edge every time you remove or mount a knife on it. And if you are casual and let the knife slap up against the magnet metal, the dinging will be worse. So please be aware.

Are you saying that in Belgium you found one these Henckels Professional S knife sets—that list on Amazon for $330 and $295 respectively—on sale for $161.70 (U.S. dollars)?Zwilling J.A. Henckels Twin Pro S 7-Piece Knife SetHenckels Twin Pro S 7pc Block Knife Set
I must admit that’s pretty hard to believe. I don’t want to jinx your good fortune, but I would be concerned as to whether you’re buying genuine Henckels product and not a knock off. Do you entirely trust the vender?

Are there any other brands of knives similar to Global where the blade and handle seamlessly blend into one, smooth piece? Although I am aware that this is technically not true, I like this style due to the fact that the hilt blends in. I don’t hold a knife by the handle, I hold it more on the hilt, and the Global design gives me less callouses.

Hi Ray—sorry to keep you waiting. Unfortunately, I found very few quality chef knives (other than Global) to suit your needs of a seamless blend of handle to blade. But here’s what I’ve got:

Henckels Pro
The Henckels Pro, which I just recently researched for my Quality Kitchen Knives on Sale post, has a totally redesigned bolster that might work well for you. The Pro line is comparable in quality to the Professional S, but has a more modern look and feel. It would be a dramatically different knife than most anything Global makes—which, I believe, is what you’re looking for, no?

I would assume the feel of the Pro would be heavier than most of Global’s chefs/santokus, but lighter than the Professional S (which is classic German design). Performance-wise, from the factory, the Pro might not match Global. But, if you got it sharpened by somebody like Seattle Knife Sharpening, any difference would be reduced to negligible, to nonexistent. Worth checking out!
At Sur La Table:

New West KnifeWorks, G-Fusion chef/santoku
New West is a high-quality boutique knife maker located in Wyoming. Though I have not test-driven their knives yet (they are on my review list), they have made a name for themselves and look extremely promising. Their knives are stunningly styled and, supposedly, perform well. But, the most important thing for you, is that they have designed their G-Fusion blade to specifically address your issue: “a blister free pinch grip” (quoted from their website). They’re pricey, but their 8-inch G-Fusion chef is currently on sale for $209 (down from $299). Worth investigating.G-Fusion 8″ Chef Knife

Global Knives Revisited
The last thing I’ll mention (which might be obvious) is—have you explored ALL of the models/lines Global makes? Because. . .1) They have the GF series which is forged and should be a bit heavier (and more German feeling) than their standard machined (stamped) knives. If you’re looking for a heftier feel, these might do the trick.
Global GF Chef (G-33), 21cm (8.25inch) : Sur La Table / Amazon
Global GF santoku (G-32)16cm (6.25inch): Amazon2) They also have a new SAI series that has a different look and probably a different feel as well. The only negative about the SAI series is that the handles look rather smooth, with not much to grip on to. They could get quite slippery when cutting up an avocado.Global SAI-01 Chef’s Knife, 7-1/2″, Silver

Hi, this is my first post on your comment line RE: best kitchen knives (without breaking the bank). I absolutely love fine knives!

I am not a professional chef, however knives, to me, are works of art that are meant to be used, each for a dedicated task. My overall comment/opinion is that the best knife is the one that you will use again and again!

Thank you KKG in advance for all of your information and your intelligent approach to acknowledging different poster’s opinions on the various knives available and people’s experiences using them.

I have smaller hands and have a decent “collection” of reasonable quality knives that range from Wusthof to Shun (including Classic, Elite, and Bob Kramer specialty), and Global (several of both the regular, lightweight versions and the heavier, forged offerings).

I find that the Shun Classic and Bob Kramer editions maintain the best edges of all. The Wusthof has nice heft, but I constantly have to to hone it.

I strictly use either bamboo, tamarind wood, or nylon cutting boards, and store all my knives carefully.

Here is a short list of the ones I use most frequently:

My number one go-to for small items is the now discontinued Shun Elite, Bob Kramer 3.5-inch paring knife. With its unique wider grip and curved handle, it is perfect for mushrooms, ginger etc. It is a work of art that fits perfectly in my hand.

My fave chef knife is a tie between the Shun Elite, Bob Kramer chef knife and the Shun Classic, 10-inch chef. The 6-inch Classic chef frequently goes with me when I travel. (The Global non-forged chef is lighter, but does not hold an edge as long as the other two.) The Shun Classic also has the wonderful “D grip” that prevents it from spinning in your hand if it gets wet.

My fave other knives are the Global forged utility knives such as the GSF-22. These are amazingly sharp and specialized for different cutting tasks. Note that the forged ones have an “F” in the name.

One more thing to second KKG’s descriptions is that the proper edge angle and shape on each knife is crucial. I played oboe as a teenager and had to learn to sharpen and hone the reed knife with utmost precision to keep my reeds workable. Guess that ruined me for regular knives later in life… :)

Thanks again for all of the wonderful comments and suggestions. I look forward to continued knife-finding and cooking adventures.

Thanks for sharing your faves and the knowledge you’ve garnered as a serious home chef! There are so many quality knives out there that it’s always fun to get more tips. That Shun Elite/Kramer paring knife sounds like a dream—such a pity it’s been discontinued. Probably has to do with Kramer’s move to Henckels.

But we need to have a talk about cutting boards. . . .I’m concerned you’re chewing up your beautiful blades. Here’s the scoop. . .

Nylon (which I assume is soft enough that it scores) is fine. But tamarind and bamboo are problematic.

Tamarind, although it looks beautiful, is just too hard. It’s practically like cutting on stone. To give you a frame of reference: Hard North American Maple, which I would call the standard, is rated with a hardness of 1450. Tamarind is rated at 2318 to 3000 (depending on which chart you’re looking at)! If it were me, I wouldn’t slice a thing on a board that hard. (Here’s a link to a wood hardness chart if you’re curious to take a look for yourself.)

Bamboo has a problem with the nodes that gives it an uneven hardness and softness. (For more on this, see my article Cutting Boards — Bamboo and Others.) It’s fine to do some light slicing on bamboo or use it for cheese and fruit, etc.. But I would not recommend it for chopping.

In the spirit of exploration, you might want to take a look at Hinoki. It’s a type of Japanese cypress very common in Japan and becoming more and more popular in the states. Like maple, it will yield to a knife blade, but still remain resilient. Here’s a link: Shun Hinoki Cutting Board, Large

Nope. I’ve had no experience with Rhineland knives and, honestly, I’d never heard of them before. But I just researched their website and I’m sorry to say, I’m not impressed.

They’re expensive, yet the website tells you very little about their design/manufacturing process and why they might be worth paying a premium for. They’re made of the same “German steel” that Wusthof knives are made of, but they don’t tell you where they’re made. Is it Germany? Or China? Big diff and they should tell you. Because starting with a quality German steel is one thing. But how you heat treat and finish the blade is just about as important.

Rhineland knives are more expensive than any of the established name-brand knives in my article above, but they’re more of an unknown quantity. Yes, they have glowing testimonials, so who knows, maybe they’re a great knife. But that’s not enough to convince me. There are so many great knives out their with great track records. . .why take a risk?

Is it possible to send you an email? I have a few questions about some knives I’m about to buy—I mean I don’t know which of the I knives should buy. I would like to send you the links to the knives and get some professional advice from you.

I’d love to help you, but I’d prefer we start here, in the comments section. This way everybody who visits the KKG site can be included in our conversation—which is sort of the modus operandi of the site. If for some reason it becomes too cumbersome, then we can always switch to email :)

Ah, yes, of course. So I’m a second-year chef student from Finland and it’s time for me to buy my own chef knife. My hands are quite big, but slim and bony. I prefer lighter knives over heavier ones, but I can handle also heavier knives. I’m searching for an all-around knife for my everyday cooking at school. I actually don’t yet know much about knives, but I searched online and these are the few that came up.

Zwilling Four Star 40th Anniversary 6″ Santoku Knife
(I’m not so sure about this brand. It seems fishy that they are selling a good knife for 40 euros. Is this a legitimate brand and a good knife?)

Zwilling Four Star Hollow-Ground Rocking 7″ Santoku

Global G-4, 7-inch

MAC SK-65 – Superior Series 6 ½” Santoku

Messermeister Asian Precision 7-Inch Gyoto

Messermeister Asian Precision 7.25-Inch Kullenschliff Santoku

Messermeister Park Plaza 6-Inch Chef Knife

I also searched for a few cutting boards. But my budget is not so big and I came up with this plastic one. Is this a good one or should I buy a different one (maybe wooden perhaps)?

Here’s the first, most important thing I have to tell you: You must buy a longer chef knife!

As a future professional chef looking for an all-around knife, you’re going to need a chef knife that is at least a 8-inches long. As a matter of fact, many pros swear by 9- and 10-inchers. Unless you end up working in some super-small kitchen creating minuscule portions of food, a 6-inch knife will immediately drive you (and your bosses) crazy with it’s inability to process large amounts of food efficiently. (The smaller size is fine as an additional knife though.)

Secondly, I would recommend starting off with a fairly traditional chef knife and then exploring other options as you gather experience. Although I’m a big fan of santoku knives, I’m not sure that’s the best way for you to start off as a pro or the best knife to have as your main squeeze.

More specifics:Zwilling Four Star 40th Anniversary 6-inch Santoku (and Rocking Santoku)
The Anniversary is not fishy, just a great deal. The Zwilling Four Star line are forged knives with acceptable quality. Too short though.

Global G-4, 7-inch
You can’t go wrong with Global. Their blade standard, across the board, is high. And they are light. But I’m concerned about your knuckle clearance with the regular chef knives like the G-2. That’s one good thing about the G-4, it probably has more clearance.

MAC SK-65 – Superior Series 6 ½-inch Santoku
Too short. You could step up to the MAC Superior, but it doesn’t have a pointed tip which you might need. (See my final comments.)

Messermeister Asian Precision 7-inch Gyoto; Messermeister Asian Precision 7.25-inch Kullenschliff Santoku; Messermeister Park Plaza 6-inch Chef Knife
These are all stamped knives (versus forged) which, in German knives, I tend to stay clear of. I don’t think the edges will hold up well. That’s why I recommend the Messermeister Meridian Elite in my article above. It’s a beaut. I also think that the knuckle clearance in the 9-inch Meridian Elite would probably be enough for larger hands.

Conclusion:
If I were a professional like you, I would do whatever I could to save up and buy a quality all-around knife. And my first choice would be the MAC MTH-80 (from my list above). It’s super-sharp and has a long, wide blade which can handle large amounts of food and also give you knuckle clearance. And it’s thin and light. Yes, it’s expensive, but when you think that this is the main tool of your profession, something you will be using for hours day-in/day-out, it is more than worth it.

Buuuut, if you really really really need to save money, you should probably consider the tried-and-true Victorinox chef knife. Although it’s constructed of inexpensive materials (plastic handle, etc.), it’s known for having a sharp, resilient blade and working well in a professional kitchen. And it has a wide blade which will give your larger hands clearance. You also might look into the Wusthof Pro Chef’s knife.

Ceramic Hone:
Whatever knife you buy, please make sure you hone it regularly with a ceramic hone to keep it sharp. If you do not know about honing, please see my article What’s a Honing Steel?

Cutting Board:
Either wood or plastic are fine as cutting boards. (See my article Cutting Boards—What’s Better, Wood or Plastic?) I own the Oneida board and it’s a great board. It’s made of the right kind of plastic (not too hard) and it’s a convenient size—but I think it’s probably too small for a pro. You need something larger like the OXO Good Grips.

1. If I find a good deal for a Japanese knife online, should I be concerned about potential knock-offs like you often see with golf clubs?

2. A hybrid Japanese/German knife is still stainless, right? I mean, take care of it, obviously, but it’s not going to have the rust issues of a total carbon steel blade, right?

3. Local cookware store bought a knife-sharpening machine like what he says the Wusthof rep uses (showed it to me; it’s an industrial looking machine). Trust it? Or should I still send stuff to Seattle?

1. First: I’d stick to name-brand Japanese, like the knives in this article (Shun, Global, MAC, Miyabi, etc.), until you get more familiar with the kitchen knife world.

Second: I would definitely be suspicious of any vendor selling way below everybody else. I have bought knives online without any problem. Nonetheless, you probably should be a little careful. I have been told by Wusthof that they have had problems with knockoffs. I’m guessing that a Wusthof knife is probably easier and cheaper to copy than a Shun or Global—so there’s probably less odds of that happening with those brands.

Third: If you want guaranteed protection, simply buy from a big-name retailer or one that has a proven track record. That’s one nice thing about Sur La Table (who, full disclosure, I am an affiliate for).

2. We must be very specific here about “hybrid Japanese/German knife.” Are you talking about the knives and brands covered in the article above? If so, then the answer is YES, they are all stainless. But it’s a big world of hybrid Japanese/German knives out there and I can’t promise you they are all stainless. I can say that most hybrids are probably stainless. How’s that?

3. Send your knives to Seattle Knife Sharpening. For one humongous reason: It’s not about the machine—it’s about the operator. Knife sharpening is a sophisticated skill that takes time, love, and training to truly master. Although there are some machines that I would definitely stay clear of, in the end, it’s not about the machinery. Read my interview with Bob Tate (of Seattle knives) for more on this :)

Funny thing: After I posted the above question, I found the same knife for the same price at Sur la Table and it was one of the brands you mentioned, so … must be a legit price. Gonna try to catch Sur la Table this weekend and see if they still have one in stock. Would like to get the feel. I’d like to try out at least one, decent Japanese knife and I figure this Miyabi probably fits the bill (at over 50% off suggested retail).

I’m not a chef but I’d say I’m a decent home cook and I cook a fair bit. We cook at home a fairly decent amount and once or twice a month, I’ll do something more elaborate involving significant prep. In the winter, we’ll do lots of soups that require dicing tons of onions. Just throwing that out there to give you a sense of my needs and level of experience.

So, today I visited your friends at the store you’re affiliated with and they let me chop some onions and carrots with various knives. I went with the intention of buying the Miyabi Kaizen II which was on sale, big time. But they made my decision more difficult by having me testdrive some even higher-end knives.

Money isn’t necessarily an object in the sense that I could plunk down more cash than $100 for the Kaizen if I wanted to, but the I wonder if I’m really going to get more out of the more expensive knives.

So, my question for you relates to bang for the buck. I’m going to list the knives I played with today, the sale price/regular price, and my thoughts and I’d like you to tell me which one you think would be the best buy considering price and quality and what I’ll mostly be doing with it.

Here goes (all are 8″ Chefs):

Bob Kramer Meiji, $250/380, Euro profile, Japanese blade, fit my hand well even though I’m a lefty, cut very nicely.

Miyabi Artisan SG2, $150/250, larger handle than the Kaizen, which was nice, demo’d well but not sure I’m sold on the hammered dimples on the blade.

Miyabi Birchwood, $230/350, beautiful knife and turned an onion into confetti in no time flat. Not a lot of knuckle clearance. And it was a new knife that was returned rather than a traditional demo, so might have been a bit sharper.

My first thought was $50 more bucks to get the Artisan? That’s not a huge jump for a knife with a better grip. But then it’s only $80 more than that to get the Birchwood, which really shredded that onions and looks really sweet besides. But, by then I’m only another $20 away from the Kramer.

What to do? Decisions, decisions. They’re going to honor the prices for a week. Can you give me your thoughts? I’m interested in what you have to say about durability and level of required maintenance as well.

First off, let me say this: There is no one perfect chef knife. There are battalions of well-designed, high-performance knives out there, all of which you could be happy to own. So don’t put too much weight into one knife. Plus, who knows, you might buy another in a couple years and mix and match.

Secondly, all of the knives in your list are high-quality, beautifully designed knives that could serve you well. Judging from the amount of cooking you do, I don’t think any of them is over your head or over-indulgent. So I would lean more into what feels the best, what makes your heart thump when you look at it, and what’s the most fun to use—those types of things.

Thirdly, don’t get too caught up in comparing sharpitude. Yes, some blades might have it slightly over others coming from the factory. But once you take them to a professional sharpener, which you are going to have to do after a year or two no matter how sharp they are out of the box, they will all become very similar in sharpitude.

Conclusion: My best guess is that you should go with the Meiji. From what I can tell, you love the knuckle clearance and all the other knives can’t quite match that. That’s what Kramer knives are famous for. Some love it, some hate it. Add to that, it’s gorgeousness and attention to detail, and what the heck? It’s at a bargain price and a chef knife is a long-term investment. When you dollar-cost average over the years (even decades) you use it, the difference in price evaporates.

My second choice would be the Birchwood. It is so incredibly crafted and so incredibly sharp. I’m making these choices because of comfort, beauty, craftsmanship, and because price is not paramount for you. (If you wanted maximum sharpitude for the best value, I would advise the MAC from my Best Chef Knives. . . list above.)

One other last-minute tip: When you hold a chef knife, do you use the pinch grip? If you do not, then your knuckles stick down lower. If you use the pinch grip, which is what the pros use and gives you more control, your knuckles will come up a bit.

That’s all for now!

Best, KKG

P.S. Please promise me you will buy a ceramic hone to go along with your knife and learn how to use it.

End grain is the best, but edge grain is good enough and it’s what I use if that helps. They are both, most commonly, made of maple—just different constructions. And there’s nothing wrong with the right kind of plastic either (not too hard).

I’d never heard of Sanelli so I did a little research. (Domenico, it looks like the store you represent sells Sanelli knives, so I’m doing this mainly for sake of my readers.) The only Sanelli line I could find in the U.S. was the Premana Professional which strikes me as comparable to Victorinox.

It has a stamped blade (versus forged) along with a fun, but rather utilitarian looking, green plastic handle. I have no idea how its cutting ability compares to Victorinox, but the hardness of the steel is rather low (HRC 54-56) even for German steel. This is not the kind of knife I would choose for my personal use or for the Best Chef Knives list above. Nonetheless, from reading a customer/user feedback, it appears they come from the factory sharp and hold a respectable edge. A viable alternative to Victorinox perhaps.

Sanelli also makes three other higher end and more handsome-looking lines that I’m not sure you can get in the states. It looks like they’re a step up. They are forged, made of the same steel that Wusthof uses for their knives, and come in a variety of styles and handles. Of the three lines (Hasani, Chef, Master) my personal fave would be the Hasaki line of Japanese-style knives. While I would always be curious to take a Sanelli knife out for a test drive, my garage is rather full at the moment :)

KKG, thanks for the recommendation. I bought the Kramer Meiji. I have to say it’s a handsome knife. It looks like a dude’s knife. I’ve been conscripted to make jambalaya and gumbo to feed my daughter and about 20 of her high school friends/dates before homecoming this weekend. I’m going to be up to my eyeballs in diced onions, etc., and having a sharp knife for this project is going to be a like a dream come true. I’ll give a review of how the thing performs.

Meanwhile — I’d put this under sharpening, but since I’m already here — I found a set of youtube videos for a sharpening service in Maryland called Burrbenders. If you have a chance to review, I’d be curious as to your thoughts. Here’s his website: http://www.burrbenders.com/Mail-In.html

1) Thanks sooo much for checking back in! Usually only one-out-of-four of my readers reports back in :( So I really appreciate it and find it satisfying to hear how people end up. I’m betting you won’t every regret your decision, but be more and more grateful for it as the days go by.

2) PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE buy a ceramic hone post haste. Sorry to keep harping on this, but the sooner you buy and use it, the longer your factory sharpened edge will last.

3) I would love to hear how the Meiji performs for you. And it will be an aid to my readers. So, yes, please check back in after you’ve used it a bit.

4) I briefly checked out Burrbenders and have mixed feelings. I like their hand sharpening program, but find it hard to believe they can do it so cheaply. Their standard machine sharpening program needs to be described in more detail—because even if the process varies, I would like to know what the usual options are. (Slow-speed sanding belts, etc.) They need to be researched further. (For what it’s worth, I’m in the process of revamping my review of sharpening services, so there will be more options in the future.)

Best, KKG

P.S. What a lucky daughter you have to have a hands-on Dad who cooks for her! I hope she fully appreciates it :)

My story is I was a fan of Wusthof from way back when. About two years ago our Wusthof chef knife broke—my wife used it on ice, to try to pry it apart. I then heard a snap. There it goes, the knife snapped. I had these knives since 1991 with a set of Wusthof Silverpoint steak knives.

I was since then in Japan. So, I decided to look for other knives and found Shun knives. The demo the salesman was selling was Shun knives. I couldn’t remember what knife he was using, only it was a Shun. He placed the blade edge on top of a cucumber, letting the weight of the blade do the work. It was actually cutting the cucumber by itself, amazing. After a while he sold me, but I only purchased the Classic blades.

I do remember the Wusthof, after every use I had to sharpen it—but using the Shun is the difference between night and day. You can’t go wrong owning a Shun.

Thanks for sharing your experience comparing Wusthof and Shun knives! The way you tell your story though, I’m not sure you’re being quite fair to Wusthof. Nonetheless, both brands definitely do have their strong and weak points.

Wusthof: Softer German steel, but tougher, more resilient—can put up with more abuse. Heavier, thicker blade.

Shun: Harder Japanese steel, but more brittle. More likely to chip or crack if not properly cared for. Can take a finer edge though and hold it longer. Thinner blade, lighter feel.

– You must understand that if you used a Shun knife to do what you did with your Wusthof that the Shun would actually snap sooner and more dramatically.

– There is no doubt a Shun will generally come from the factory sharper than a Wusthof and will keep it’s edge longer. The one exception in factory sharpitude and overall performance would be the Asian blades Wusthof makes—the santoku and chai dao. Both of these are thinner and come sharpened at a sharper angle (though they are still made of German steel—see Wusthof Knives—a Buyer’s Guide for more details).

For the record, I have Shun, Henckels, Global, Wusthof (and more) knives in my kitchen and enjoy them all!

Best, KKG

P.S. I hope you have learned your lesson to never use a kitchen knife as a crowbar, a chisel, a screwdriver, or anything else it’s not designed for. (Please refer to my Top Ten Tips for more guidance.)

P.P.S. When you said, “the Wusthof, after every use I had to sharpen it”, I think you meant “hone” not sharpen. If you had actually sharpened it after every use, you would have had no knife left after a year or two ;)

It’s true, I’ve had to hone the Wusthof chef knife after every use. Sure, blades are used for cutting and slicing, not prying in anyway. That much I know. But thanks, for the info. I just wanted to put my two bits in, that’s all. No worries. God Bless.

I would shy away from the Japanese knives (because they are thinner and more delicate) and go German. So you should consider Henckels (or the comparable Wusthof chef’s, but NOT the santoku) and the Messermeister. And you should definitely take a look at Wusthof Knives—a Buyer’s Guide which will give you more stylistic choices including my fave Wusthof line, the Classic Ikon.

I would also consider buying a longer blade—like a 9-inch. It will allow you to really show those pumpkins and squashes who’s boss! Here are some direct links to products:

Interesting and helpful. I am hoping to save for a new chef knife and paring knife. Probably going to go with a German brand as it appears it fits my needs and preferences more than the Japanese ones. I currently own a cheap 7-inch chef knife. Too short for my liking, but the best I could afford when I purchased it.

Glad KKG could be of service! You should check out my Wusthof Knives—a Buyer’s Guide article as well. Near the end (near the bottom of the page), I cover knife sets. . .and Wusthof has a number chef/paring combos that would work well for you.

Very good knives! But you forgot the very best knife, and more expensive as well, the trademark Evercut from France! The blade part is forged with titanium and doesn’t need sharpening for very long time! I loved the one that I won from my traveler friend!

Thanks for sharing your encounter with Evercut! So many knives, so little time. As I mention at the top my article, my short list of recommendations is by no means comprehensive :)

Anyway. . .I must admit I’ve never heard of Evercut and after doing a little research I’m both intrigued and wary. I’m intrigued because they seem like a reputable manufacturer with an established history of knifemaking that is coming up with innovative, high-performing kitchen knives. I’m wary because I’m not nuts about “coatings” on blades (they can wear off). I also don’t like the fact that 1) Evercut doesn’t recommend honing for upkeep (although they don’t specifically mention a ceramic hone), and 2) they ask you return their blades to them for sharpening. My objection to #1 is that, without honing (which I’ve found can greatly extend the life of a sharp edge), you have no way of touching up a blade in between sharpenings. And my objection to #2 is that, What if their factory edge is not as sharp as I would like? Then I’m stuck with their sharpitude which could be a compromise—because it has been my experience that a high-quality professional sharpening service can usually beat the sharpitude of a factory edge.

Anyway that’s my take. Which line do you own—the Origine, the Furtif, or the Maestro?

For those readers who’d like more info, here’s a link to the manufacturer’s site:

Yes, I understood your points and just wanted add some indications as well! I had the same preoccupations as you, but I have owned my Evercut knife for a decade and it´s still pretty good! Mine is from the Origine series):

The mid and upper level line of Arcos knives are second to none. Ours have been performing flawlessly for 30 years, and my parents’ for over 65. The design is European classic and even though they have introduced Japanese-looking models, I, personally, do not care for them. If you prefer to pay two or three times more for a German knife (quite probably made in Spain), or a Japanese one, fine, but you’re getting the same, or less, quality.

Thanks for your endorsement of Arcos kitchen knives! I’m glad they’ve worked so well for you. Do you know what line you own?

Yes, there are many quality kitchen knives out there and in my article above I could only single out a handful. But the Arcos brand has a rich history in this comment thread. And if you ever have time to do some more perusing, you will find a number of entries about Arcos. I think my most thorough and up-to-date comment on them occurs in a reply to Pere Cellers on 2016/04/26.

BTW. . . the only Henckels line that I know of that’s manufactured in Spain is the International line. It looks almost identical to the Pro S, but in my experience, the finishing is not quite as fine (I don’t know about the blade steel).

I have fairly large hands and I am currently using a santoku knife most of the time when I’m preparing meals. But after reading your post, I see you stated that the Messermeister has a bigger handle which might be suitable for me. Will definitely be checking it out. Thanks!

I believe a few of the knives on my Quality Kitchen Knives On Sale page also have larger handles. Like the Miyabi Kaizan II chef and the Wusthof Classic Ikon Chef. They are no longer on sale, but they’re still great knives at reasonable prices. And if you love quality and can afford to pay more, all of the Bob Kramer knives have hefty handles. That’s sort of his trademark!

Catching up. Bought the Meiji last year. Made that big homecoming dinner I described above. Turned out to be 35 kids, not 20, so lots of jambalaya and gumbo. Can’t believe HS kids were digging my cajun food, but, hey. . .

So, the Meiji. It’s a Kramer knife made in partnership with Zwilling.

Compared to the really old and not-well-maintained Zwilling 4-stars I had from back when my wife and I were newlyweds, it was crazy sharp. I meant to come back sooner to report on this, but waiting until now gives me a chance to say that, in spite of the fact I cook quite a bit, the edge has held up very well. It’s not maybe quite as crazy sharp as it was out of the box, but it still zips through onions and does a fine job with dicing ripe tomatoes as well.

One thing I thought I would mention is the handle. It’s one of those asymmetrical handles that supposedly favors right-handed people. It’s not exactly D-shaped like a Shun. There’s more of an edge rather than a tight curve on one side of the handle.

I’m a left-handed guy and I haven’t found it to be an issue whatsoever. Maybe as a lefty, I’ve learned to accommodate the right-handed world. But it didn’t bother me at all. I use a pinch grip and the edge on the right side of the grip actually is a nice place for the meaty pad at the base of my thumb to rest while I’m chopping. Or slicing, or whatever.

I also test-drove the Miyabi Birchwood which was also a splendid blade. It, too, had what would be considered a right-handed handle. And, again, as with the Kramer Meiji, I didn’t find the handle shape troublesome at all.

So, Guru, if you ever have left-handed people ask about the shape of the handle on these Japanese knives, you can offer them my endorsement: It’s probably not going to be an issue. In fact, it might even fit better for left-handed people than you can imagine.

Also, I bought a couple of Kramer hones, figuring he’d know what to use on his own knives. Based on the research I did, I believe the Kramer ceramic hone is a finer grit than the MAC or the . . . whatever the other one was. I think it was like 1600 compared to 1200. I also bought the steel hone with grooves on two sides and smooth on two sides and I use that for maintaining the edge before each use.

But, bottom line . . . I love the knife. Thanks for the advice. It’s still far and away the sharpest knife I own even though I haven’t sent if off to Portland for sharpening.

Sorry, hadn’t seen the other thread. I’ll go take a look. I commented back here because this was where the original discussion was taking place, but I’ll add my 2 cents over there if I have a couple cents to add.

I loved this article and I learned a lot, mainly on many comments. In my country most of these brands aren’t available . . . and I have some good knives I purchased abroad. What about Arcos from Spain?

Acros knives have been discussed quite a few times in this very comment thread. My most in-depth comments appear on this date:

2016/04/26 at 5:09 pm and 2016/04/26 at 9:09 pm

In a nutshell? Although I have never held an Arcos blade in my hand, much less tested one out, my research reveals that they are comparable to the German brands. But, like the German brands, quality will vary across the various lines that Arcos manufactures :)

I’ve been using a hand-me-down 6-inch Wusthof Classic chef knife for a while and am looking for my first new knife. I want a larger knife and am leaning towards a 9-inch size, and I think, after much research, I’ve narrowed it down to the Wusthof Classic Ikon or the Messermeister Meridian Elite. I’ve thought about a Shun, which I also liked, but didn’t like that I shouldn’t use it on things like winter squash and hard melons.

I’ve heard great things about the Messermeister and on paper had pretty much chosen that, but haven’t been able to actually hold it since it seems nobody carries it around me! I did have a chance to hold the Wusthof Ikon and I kinda liked the handle and how it felt. I know you recommend both and that Wusthof is also known for quality knives, but was wondering if you had further thoughts comparing the two… how they feel and how you think the blades hold up. I like that they both are available in the 9-inch size and both have partial bolsters. Thanks.

To begin with—you can’t go wrong with either of your final choices and are going to be thrilled when you get a longer knife. Congrats for moving up the ladder! Here are some thoughts:

– No, definitely do NOT get the Shun if you need to use it for winter squash. I think it could easily handle hard melons, but you would need to be more careful than with the other two. In general, you’d need to take a bit more care with the Shun. But the blade is thinner, and if maintained correctly, would perform a bit better than the others.

– Yes, it’s a drag you can’t get a Messermeister chef’s into your hands while deciding. But the handle and weight should be very similar to both the Wusthof Classic (which comes in 9-inch also) or the Henckels Pro S, or any other traditional, forged, German-style knife for that matter. So test out any of those and you will be in the ball park.

– BTW. . .I own the Wusthof Classic Ikon 9-inch and I love the handle. But I’m not sure I would let the handle be the deciding factor in choosing my main chef knife. Unless the handle was especially uncomfortable, then I would be wary. But the handle on the Messermeister is a tried and true style and there’s a reason why—it works. Although the handle of the Messermeister might not be as comfy as the Wusthof Classic Ikon, it shouldn’t pose any serious ergonomic problems.

– I think, personally, I lean towards the Messermeister for two reasons: 1) I have a sense their manufacturing and forging process is a touch higher-end than Wusthof, and may allow it to hold an edge longer, 2) the Messermeister factory edge should be noticiably sharper, and finer, than the Wusthof. That said, please remember, that a year or so down the line, after it’s first sharpening, the factory edge won’t matter at all. Then, the sharpitude of either knife will be determined by the quality of the person sharpening it, and any factory differences will disappear.

– Also remember: if you order the Messermeister from Amazon, and if it’s a disaster, you can always return it :)

– The Messermeister Meridian Elite also comes in a “Stealth” version which is worth considering. The Stealth is fundamentally the same knife—just 25% thinner and 10% lighter. The thinness of the blade will allow it to cut slightly better and the lightness will make using it slightly less fatiguing. These are issues that do not impact on a home cook as much as on a professional chef using the knife many hours a day.

– Finally, there’s one more knife I recommend looking into. . .the Miyabi Evolution. It’s a fantastic blend of German and Japanese, using the best of both worlds and it comes in an 8-inch and 9.5 inch. If you have a Sur La Table store anywhere around you, you can try it out there.

Best of luck. Please let me know if I can be of further service. . .
KKG

Just wanted to leave a comment here because this thread is well written and the way you answer these comments is just very refreshing. I google stuff into the abyss to compare things, but you made it very easy for me to give me the best tools for that. I usually don’t comment on anything, so…

Thanks much for the compliment, it made my day! I spend hours thinking about, researching, and writing answers to comments left on this page, and all the pages of the KKG website. It’s great to hear they’ve been helpful and are being appreciated :)

Is Cutco a good knife brand? I bought in Costco, but not sure if it’s good or not. As they said its surgical stainless steel and people say surgical stainless steel is basically a mix of different stainless steels and doesn’t mean it’s good quality or anything like that.

Hi Mukta,
I have a Cutco butcher’s knife I inherited from my Mom and have used it only for slicing salmon fillets and whatnot and it has held up OK. But that’s what I would call very light usage.

I’m not crazy about Cutco. I don’t think the steel they use or their heat treating is equal in quality to any of the brands in the article above. I would feel much more comfortable recommending any one of the brands above.

Dear KKG,
I have Henckels chef knives in classic and modern styles as well as a 3″ classic paring knife. I prefer the classic style as I had used and liked Wusthof classics in the past. I got the Henckels 20 years ago as a twin set for $105 which I thought was a bargain. Unfortunately, I dropped the 10-inch and busted the tip off, so that’s going to be ground back to a blunt nose. My boning knife is a carbon steel Green River. I also have a vintage 14″ carbon steel ham knife, but that is really difficult to put a consistent edge on. Too long and floppy a blade. I think your review is very fair and balanced. Thank you.
—Peter

I have had a set of Felix Solingen Platinum knives for some 15 years now and confess to not caring for them as I should. I don’t find many references to them, but can say they have weathered my neglect over the years. I am tossing up whether to buy afresh or just get them professionally sharpened on a regular basis. I did this once recently, but found they lost their sharpness after about 2-3 months.

The stamp on each knife includes this ref and I assume it is to do with the type of metal manufacture: 4116X50CrMoV15.

OK, here’s what I can dig up on Felix Solingen Knives. Looks like they are a classic, longtime German knifemaker (since 1790 boasts their website) similar to Henckels and Wusthof. They are located in the same knife-making capital of the world, Solingen, and they use the same X50 CrMoV15 steel to fashion the majority of their knives. So, odds are, there’s some quality going on there.

The Platinum line looks like a mid-level knife that is forged and probably taken through the usual heat treatment any serious knifemaker performs on their product. But it may not get as rigorous a quality control or processing as, say, their First Class line which runs for 30 euros more. Nonetheless, I would assume the edge on a mid-level forged knife (like the Platinum) from a knifemaker of this ilk would hold up much longer than 2-3 months. I have a Henckels’ Pro S chef knife that has gone for many years without sharpening. But I do hone regularly and I do treat my knife edges with care. (Have you read my Top Ten Tips?)

Soooo. . .we are left with the question, why are you having to sharpen your knives so often? My best educated guess is that it’s probably a couple of things:

1. The professional sharpening services you are using might not be that good. (See Finding a Professional Sharpening Service.) Perhaps they are creating edge bevels that are not very acute. Or perhaps the knife edges need some thinning in order to achieve fine edges again and they are not up to doing this. The knives themselves might be rather thick to begin with and this, along with having been worn down a bit from use, might make blade thinning even more of a must. The worst case scenario might be that some time in the past, some poor-quality knife sharpening service might have ruined the steel by getting the edges too darn hot.

2. Perhaps you are being too rough on your edges and either cutting on surfaces that or too hard (like granite or steel or glass) and/or cutting through foods (like chicken breast bones) that your blades were not designed to cut through. This kind of treatment will easily dull a fine-edged, super-sharp knife in no time flat.

3. Also, you are probably not honing your knives or, if you are, maybe honing them incorrectly. Honing, alone, can’t make a sharp knife. But, starting from a sharp edge, and combined with no abuse, honing can preserve sharpitude amazingly. (See What’s a Honing Steel?)

So these are my thoughts. . .hope they help! If you have any more questions, please feel free to ask. And have fun in the sun you lucky Downunder-er!

I cannot help but notice your appreciation for beauty is very bad. I will pass most on the list purely on looks.

I am a big fan of Japanese knives for their looks and sharpness. German knives feel like a bricks in comparison and I use German knives only when I am cutting meat like a caveman. For all others, it’s Japanese knives all the way. Hexagonal handles only.

Weeelll, it’s a big wide world of kitchen knives out there and everyone’s entitled to their own opinion!

For what it’s worth, I would agree that, there are many beautiful and wonderfully-designed Japanese knives. But I would also add that these Japanese knives tend to be 1) pretty expensive and 2) a pain to maintain. Plus, their edges tend to be more delicate than your average German knife and must be treated with more care.

This Best Chef Knives list is more written for your average home chef who is not ready to pay a premium for a chef knife and does not have the time or inclination to worry about if the steel might rust or an edge get chipped.